Brake Check
by bellaXmonster
Summary: This is a rewrite of my original FF New beginnings. Bianca Witwickey is sent to live with her cousin Sam after a freak accident kills her parents. She is then caught up in an alien war all because they want her cousin's brain. She wasn't even aware he had one. BumblebeexOC Rewrite of original
1. Chapter 1

**Hey everyone reading this,  
I have finally gotten around to revamping my previous story 'New Beginnings'. It is a fic that I am most proud of in some ways, but in others slightly embarrassed. So I have decided to give it a face lift. The main storyline is still the same, more or less. All that I have done is worked on making the writing a little more high quality, Bianca less mary-sue, and just tried to create a more solid fic as a whole.  
While it is a rewrite feedback is still appreciated, and if anyone who read the original is now reading this I would really love to hear what you think of the changes. I am going to leave the original story up as well, at least for now.**

"Excuse me miss, the plane has landed and all other passengers have already disembarked. Did you need help exiting the craft?" Dull brown eyes flickered up to the smiling flight attendant before her, and Bianca Witwickey gave her the best smile she could muster.

"No, I'm sorry, I guess I just wasn't paying attention. I'll be fine by myself." The young woman nodded before moving on to her other duties, and Bianca sighed glancing out the plane window to the tarmac below. Taking a deep breath and gathering what little will power she had left she stood, grabbing her carry on from above before beginning the trek down the empty aisle.

Every step she took felt like a lifetime and the blue carpet seemed to stretch further and further until all of a sudden she was standing in the bustling terminal of the Fresno Yosemite Airport. She was like a speck in the ocean, being pushed forward by the current, and she did nothing to object. She let herself be drifted through the terminal, to baggage claim where she did her best to tread water while waiting for her two suit cases, before finally coming to end on the sidewalk labeled 'Arrivals'.

She scanned the lines of cars before her, not entirely sure what or even who she was looking for. Around her joyful reunions were occurring as people found family or friends, embracing each other heartily. The longer she stood amide the happy chaos the more desolate she felt, tears began to brim at her eyes and she did her best to discretely wipe them away.

No sooner had she gained control of her emotions did she hear a horn blaring. Looking up she saw a face hanging out of the drivers side window which sparked a faint memory of recognition. The yellow and black sporty looking car pulled up to the curb and her cousin quickly hopped out, coming to stand before her.

"Hey Bia, long time no see huh?" Sam Witwickey asked, he fidgeted and looked as if he were moving to give her a hug, before thinking better of it and instead grabbed her suitcase from her. "Let me grab these for you." He hauled the two bags awkwardly to the curb before the trunk clicked open. He threw them in, huffing and puffing from the exertion. Were she not in her current state of unrest she would have cracked a comment about his obvious lack of exercise

Instead she stayed put, watching him silently while her right hand moved to hold the silver cross that hung from a leather strap around her neck. Her fingers traced the familiar engravings, like they had done countless times the past few days. Sam came to stand before her once again, and this time he did hug her. She didn't return the action, but she she didn't pull away either. After a moment he cleared his throat and stepped away, obviously unsure of what he should do or say, instead motioning to the car with his head.

"Well we best get going, Mom is super excited to see you. She went out and bought all new furniture for the room your staying in." Sam didn't miss the frown that pulled at his younger cousins lips, but he knew better to say anything about it. Stepping forward he pulled open the passenger door and Bianca stepped forward. She pulled her backpack from her back and instead hugged it to her chest, before sliding into the seat.

"Thank you," her voice was quiet and hoarse, and Sam felt his heart ache for the girl. He closed the door and walked to his side of the vehicle, sliding in before pulling out into traffic.

The tension in the car was palpable and Sam wracked his brain in an attempt to figure out how to ease it. Every so often he would peek at his passenger from the corner of his eye, and every time he was met with the same sight. Her long dark hair had been piled atop her head in a messy bun, one that looked like it hadn't been washed in a couple of days. Her face was haggard and paler than normal, with small bags beginning to become more prominent under her eyes which were rimmed with red. Her lips had been chewed to shreds and the tip of her nose rubbed raw. He could still see the remnants of a few cuts and bruises from the accident littering her face.

Even though she was years older than when he had last seen her, she looked smaller than ever before. Other than adjusting to pull her seat belt across her lap she never once stopped hugging her bag to her chest, and Sam couldn't help but imagine that if she were to let go she would float away.

Taking a breath to calm his nerves Sam decided to bite the bullet and broke the silence.

"S-so uh...it's been a while huh?" He asked, his voice cracking mid-sentence.

"It has" was all she replied, just as quiet as before. His hands began to tap at the steering wheel nervously.

"Like 5 years long right? Man it's crazy how time flies, your a junior in high school now right?" He pressed, not yet willing to resign himself to a 45 minute car ride of silence.

"Senior actually, and you are going to college now?" Bianca realized what Sam was trying to do and did her best to throw him a bone, he was just being nice after all. At least he hadn't apologized to her yet, she was tired of people apologizing to her.

"Yeah! I am heading off at the end of the month it's going to be great!" He beamed and she gave him a small smile, which ended up looking more like a grimace. His face turned more somber and his eyes became glued ahead of them as he prepared himself for what he was about to say.

"Bianca, listen I am really s-" he never got to finish, for the first time since picking her up Bianca locked her full gaze on him and spoke above a whisper.

"Please don't do that Sam, I know you mean well but please, just don't" Bianca begged and Sam gave her a small nod, and she in turn gave him another small smile before turning front again and letting her head sink down onto her bag, still clutched to her chest.

After that the two remained in silence, not bothering to try to fill it. Ten minutes out from the house however the radio kicked on and Bianca jumped as the music blared over the speakers.

"It's time to be a big girl now! And big girls don't cry-" Sam began to stammer and pound his fist against the dash of the car, and the radio whirred before turning off.

"Stupid thing I-uh- I took it in last week for a tune up and when I got it back the radio was all busted and uh- well it's just been acting up more than normal and being a pain in my neck!" With that last statement Sam gave the dash one final good 'whack' before throwing an overly large grin at his cousin.

"Uh, that's fine really. Just startled me is all. If you want you can turn the radio on, I don't mind." Almost instantly the radio flickered on and Bia quirked an eye at the song choice as Sam returned to slamming his fist down on the dashboard repeatedly.

"Please dont stop the music" Slam!

"No, the silence is nice,"

"Please dont stop" Slam!

"I will have to ask Mikaela,"

"Please don't stop the-" Slam!

"To take out the radio, if it doesn't knock it off!" The radio fizzled out and Bia looked at Sam who was doing his best to look anywhere but at her.

"Who is Mikaela?" she asked. Sam felt a wave of relief wash over him at the fact that she didn't seem fazed at all by the radio going all exorcist.

"Oh Mikaela! She is my girlfriend, really great with cars. You'll like her." Bia hummed in thought to herself before turning her gaze back out her window. Once her attention was off of him Sam gave one final small punch to the door and hissed a "Behave!" quietly. His cousin paid him no mind, instead letting her eyes take in the town around her.

Growing up she had spent many Summers in Tranquility, CA with her cousin, Aunt and Uncle. However, a few years prior her father and his brother Ron, had a falling out and Bia hadn't been back here since. Her nerves continue to build as they turned down a familiar street before pulling into a drive way that she used to look forward to hitting as a child.

She could already see her Aunt rushing for the vehicle, her Uncle trailing behind his wife. Clutching her bag tighter she prepared herself for the meeting that was about to transpire.

Sam watched as Bianca climbed out of the car and let herself get wrapped up in his mothers arms. She even gave the woman a smile and humored all of her questions about her flight and the ride home. His father placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and Bia gave him a small smile.

"How are you holding up kiddo?"

"I'm fine Uncle Ron, really. Just a little tired. Would you mind if I got settled, it was a long trip."

"Oh of course sweetheart! Sammy grab your cousins bags." Judy ordered, wrapping an arm around the small girls shoulders. "Right this way Bia, I have a room all ready for you, I hope you like still like Pink!" Judy gushed over enthusiastically. Bianca mentally cringed but did her best to not let her emotions get out of check. She knew her Aunt only meant well and she was already doing so much for her. The least she could do in return was graciously accept whatever kindness her family gave her, Bia reasoned with herself.

"Yay,"she cheered, halfheartedly and let herself be led away.

"Ron help your son!" Judy called over her shoulder as the two women dissapeared into the house. The men watched them leave before Ron turned to his Son who was watching the now empty doorway with a frown.

"How is she doing, really?" he asked and Sam shrugged moving towards the trunk which had already clicked open.

"How do you think dad? Her parent's were killed in a freak accident." Ron ran a tired hand down his face and sagged against Bumblebee who whirred in comfort. The funeral had only been 3 days ago but it felt like a life time. He still remembered receiving the call. He couldn't believe his little brother was really gone, when they had said car accident Ron felt his stomach drop. His brother was pronounced dead at the scene and his sister-in-law died en route to hospital. Amazingly enough Bianca had only received minimal damage, a minor concussion and some cuts and bruises. Grief washed over him at realizing that his brother was dead, and knowing they had ended things on bad terms last they saw each other.

Him and Judy had flown to Texas for the service, where Bianca was surrounded by her mothers family. The girl had seemed calm and collected, much more put together than most would think a 16 year old who lost her parents would be. After flying down for the funeral they had been contacted by his brothers attorney and informed that his last will had placed Bianca under the care of him and Judy should their untimely passing occur.

So they hurried home in order to put together a living space for the girl, who in turn packed up her life into two suitcases and a carry on before flying out to California.

"Listen Sam, I know you are leaving at the end of the month but do me a favor, keep an eye on her? Your mother means well but you know how she can get" Ron asked and Sam nodded handing off one of the suitcases to the older man.

"Of course, dad."

"You too Bumblebee!" Ron patted the hood and the engine whirred causing Sam to roll his eyes.

They took the bags upstairs to find Judy at her Nieces door with a frown. The two stopped and listened and understand why the woman was upset. In the quiet hallway they could hear the quiet cries of the girl through the wood, even with all her attempts to keep her grief hidden.

Judy knocked on the door and Bia instantly responded.

"Just a second!" They could hear the shakiness in her voice even though she tried to hide it. The door opened a second later to reveal a red faced Bianca who stepped aside to let the boys through with her luggage. "Thank you."

"Are you hungry sweety? Any requests for dinner?" Judy asked, doing her best to dote on the distraught girl.

"Actually, I'm not really hungry Aunt Judy. I am just really exhausted from my trip. Please don't worry about me tonight; I think I am just going to head to bed." Judy gave the girl a tight lipped smile and wrapped her up in one final bear hug.

"Of course dear, you let me know if I can get you anything." With one last squeeze Judy turned and ushered the boys out of the room, gently closing the door behind her. Once they were gone Bianca let her shoulders sag again, and quickly found her way back to her new bed where her back pack lay beneath the comforter. She pulled back the blanket and crawled under letting her fingers wrap around the familiar plush form of Scraps, the stuffed puppy.

She pulled the stuffed animal to her chest and buried her face in it, letting the tears soak the worn out fabric. Scraps was a gift from her father to her mother on their very first date. They had given it to her on her 16th birthday and she was ecstatic. Now it was one of the only tangible memories she had left of her parents, besides her mothers cross which weighed heavy around her neck.

The teenager lay there for hours in a limbo of dozing and crying, while her family tip toed on eggshells down below.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey everyone,**

 **Wow, super impressed with the amount of fav's and follow's this last week so thanks for that : ). Would love to hear what you readers think so don't be scared to drop a review!**

 **Sorry for the lateness of this update, my pup had to go in for surgery for a tumor in his ear, and I have been knitting my buns off in all my spare time to try to make a little extra cash to pay for his surgery. Without further adieu, enjoy!**

The following days were much the same in the Witwickey household. Judy would wake up and prepare a different meal every morning in the hopes of enticing her niece to eat. Most days when she entered Bianca was unresponsive, hidden beneath a pile of blankets. On the days she was awake and upright she would politely refuse her Aunt's meal claiming she wasn't hungry. Judy would give the girl a smile and leave the food anyway, before inviting her to one activity or another. Again, Bianca would politely decline and Judy would tell her to let her know if she changed her mind.  
Lunch was much the same, when Judy would go upstairs she would switch out the untouched plate of breakfast food with a new plate of lunch items. Invite Bianca out if she wasn't tucked back under the mass of blankets, before leaving the girl alone once again.  
Occasionally Sam would offer to take her dinner up to her room to give his mom a break. He tried a few times to get Bianca to talk to him, but her responses were always short and dismissive. So he would change out her plates and head back downstairs leaving her up in her room.  
"She has barely eaten anything in 6 days! The poor girl is going to waste away to nothing!" Judy exclaimed on the 6th day of this routine when Sam came down, untouched sandwich and chips in his hands.  
"Judy calm down, she is grieving." Ron tried to comfort his wife but she shook off his words.  
"Don't tell me to calm down! That's my niece up there, and grieving or not she needs to eat!" Ron sighed at his wife's distress. Judy had been running herself ragged in an attempt to help Bianca adjust and make her feel welcome.  
"Listen sweetie, I know you mean well but Bianca needs time. She just lost both of her parents very suddenly at a young age. If you come on too strong you may end up causing more harm. Give her some space, she will come around." Ron reasoned and Judy was about to retort when the creak of a floor board sounded from upstairs. The three around the dinner table froze and listened, only to hear feet softly padding down the floor before a door clicked shut.  
"Look she finally made it out of her room. That's a start, she'll continue to make steps just leave her be." Ron concluded reaching across the table for the salt. Judy slapped his hand and gave him a look causing him to roll his eyes.  
"Just because your brother died doesn't mean your manners died with him."  
"Please pass the salt," Ron groaned and Judy complied before picking up her fork.  
"I hope your right Ron, I wish there was more I could do." She sighed before forking a bite into her mouth.  
"You know mom, for once I think dad's right." Sam piped up and Ron gave an indignant 'hey!', but Sam ignored him. His mother gave him a grateful smile before turning back to her dinner.  
"Alright I will lay off a bit, but that doesn't mean I am going to stop trying to get her to eat! That girl is going to put herself in the hospital if she doesn't start getting something in her body."

Upstairs Bianca sat on the floor with her back against the door. She felt bad for causing her family to worry so much. Judy had been so kind to her the last few day's and all it did was make her feel worse.  
The grief counselor they sent to her room at the hospital said the intense guilt she felt was normal, in the medical world they labeled it 'survivors guilt.' Having a label didn't make it any better though. For the last week and half people fussed over her, walking on egg shells doing their best to cater to her every need and it only continued to make her feel worse than before.  
She should have died in that accident too, and it was sheer dumb luck that she got out scotch free. She could still remember how it felt to sit there, helpless in the flipped and smashed car. She had screamed as loud as she could for help, and for her parents. Her father never responded but her mother had mumbled something to her a few times The concussion had muddled her memories making it hard for her to sort through all that occurred.  
She remembered the accident and flashing lights from her place upside down; she faintly recalled a vehicle pulling up beside them and the water on the ground reflected the police lights. Bianca had screamed as loud as she could to get the officers attention, but the door never opened. It felt like hours until a face finally came into eyesight, though she couldn't be sure.  
A new wave of tears began to drip down her face and she didn't even bother trying to stop them. Her head hurt from both the constant crying and the strain of trying to sort through that night. When she had finally calmed down once again she slowly pulled herself to her feet and looked to her left at the plate of food.  
She had hoped that her aunt would get the hint and stop going through the trouble of making special meals for her, but obviously she was going to stop at nothing and so Bianca decided to try and at least meet her halfway.  
She cautiously took a bite of the potatoes on her plate, chewing slowly and swallowing. They had cooled already quite a bit, and she was sure that if the situation were different she would enjoy them. However, as it currently sat they were tasteless and made her grimace. Giving up on trying to eat she dropped her fork before moving towards her bed and flopped down, curling in on herself. A soft knock caught her attention and turning over she watched as the door creaked open to reveal Sam.  
"Hey, mind if I come in?" she sat up and shrugged, which Sam took as an invite. He closed the door behind him before moving to the bed to sit next to her. She continued to keep her gaze glued on the floor and Sam took this opportunity to look over his little cousin. If possible she looked even worse than before. Her cuts and bruises had nearly healed but her cheeks had become sullen and her complexion turned ashey. Her eyes were puffy and held deep shadows beneath them and her clothes hung slightly on her frame.  
"So I just wanted to give you something before I head off to school tomorrow." Sam held out his hand and she held out hers in return. A soft jingle and cold metal fell into her palm. A set of keys sat in her hand, complete with a bumblebee key ring. "Freshmen aren't allowed to have cars, so I figured you would get more use out of Bee than I will." The keys felt heavy in her hand but she did her best to be gracious.  
"Thanks Sam." she muttered, closing her fingers around the keys.  
"Bee is a good car, he wont let you down." Bianca quirked a brow at the way Sam talked about his car. Sure it was a nice car, but the way he made it sound it was as if Bee were a dog or even a friend.  
"That's really nice of you." the two fell into silence. Bianca returned her gaze to the floor and let her hand drop to the bed while Sam ran his hand through his hair nervously before moving to stand up.  
"Well if you need anything else let me know ok?" She nodded, but didn't bother responding. Sam let himself out and Bia quickly dropped the keys on the floor and burrowed underneath the blankets.  
The guilt was chomping away at her like a rabid dog and she did her best to hold herself together as she lay there in the silence, her phone running a continuous slideshow of all the pictures of her and her parents she could find.  
Sam made his way down the stairs after dropping his keys off with Bianca. He had hoped that the little gift would get a bit more of a rise out of her, but she stuck to her guns and barely gave him a smile. Making his way out of the house he quickly entered the garage where Bee transformed into his normal form and Sam took his normal seat in the corner. He let out a large breath and ran his hands down his face in an attempt to shake off the stress of the last couple of days.  
" **So you had a bad day, you're taking one down, you sing a sad song just to turn it around"** The bot played and Sam rolled his eyes at his best friend.  
"Bad day is an understatement, try bad month." he moaned and Bumblebee whirred in discontent.  
"I don't know what to do Bee, I leave for college tomorrow and mom and dad head out to Paris right after. Mom is a mess feeling guilty over leaving Bia alone, dad is as heartless as ever saying that the trip is already paid for, and Bianca hasn't even eaten or moved from her room in six days!" the boy threw his hands up in frustration and Bumblebee hummed in thought. He knew how it felt to loose those you cared about, but it had been a long time since he had allowed himself to grieve to such extremes as Bianca was doing. They had been fighting a war for as long as he could remember, there was no time for grieving!  
 **"Sammy...sometimes the whole thing turns out wrong...you just gotta believe...everything will be ok!"** The bot tried and Sam offered him a small smile in return, before it turned into a grimace.  
"Actually Bee, that's not really what I came out here to talk to you about," the anxiousness had returned to his voice and Bee moved closer unconsciously. "You know I leave for college tomorrow-"  
" **I'm so excited, and I just can't hide it!"** The bot played over his speakers, dancing as best he could in the cramped garage. Sam frowned and took a deep breath before finishing his thought.  
"-and you're not coming with me." Bumblebee's celebration cut off abruptly and he turned on the human.  
" **What?!"  
** "Freshmen can't have cars on campus, it's a rule Bee" Sam tried to reason, But his friend would hear none of it, already putting on waterworks. "Look Bee I know your upset but I need you to focus." he pleaded with his best friend who had begun to play "One" by Three Dog Night over his speakers. Sam rolled his eyes and smacked the bots leg. "Seriously Bee, I know this isn't ideal but it's just temporary." The Bot continued to blubber and refused to meet his gaze and Sam's annoyance spiked. Between getting ready to leave for college and worrying over his depressed cousin he hadn't been getting a good nights sleep.  
"Bee I need you to do something for me," Sam pleaded. The seriousness in his voice caught Bee's attention. Sniffling, Bumblebee bent down to hear what his human had to say. "I am asking you as a friend, please stay here and watch over Bianca." Bumblebee whirred, crossing his arms and doing his best to pout. He wanted to continue throwing a fit, to tell Sam just how unfair it was that he was being left behind, but guilt quickly began to eat away at his spark.  
" **Fine fine... But you bet yer ass... This ain't my cup of tea."** Sam smiled up at the bot who was now refusing to make eye contact and placed his hand on his leg.  
"Thank you Bee, really" Bumblebee sighed and gave up on trying to stay mad at Sam. He couldn't blame the boy for any of the current events and didn't want to spend their last night together mad at him. Plopping down the two fell into old habits, screwing off late into the night.


	3. Chapter 3

**Another update, sorry if the formatting is off. I have literally spent over an hour messing with it and for some reason every time I try to upload it my stuff goes all screwy. So please bare with me!**

Bianca could hear everyone else in the house bustling around in a flurry of activity as they prepared to send Sam off to college. She registered briefly that she ought to get out of the mass of blankets that had become her home and say goodbye to Sam, and her Aunt and Uncle since they were flying out to Paris after dropping Sam off, but couldn't find the will power, nor bring herself to truly care.

So she continued to lay in bed, drifting in and out of the fog that had surrounded her world ever since that night. She had quit crying after the first week in her new home, instead a numbness had settled in that paralyzed her entire being. Nightmares had plagued her sleep every time she tried to close her eyes. The first couple of times she woke up screaming her family would rush into room, and check her over with wide concerned eyes. After the 6th time her Aunt Judy would just knock on her door and ask if she needed anything, to which she would always answer 'no'. Eventually everyone just learned to roll over and go back to sleep after one of her outbursts, except for her. She saw the accident play over and over in her head, every time she closed her eyes all she could see was the flashing of police lights, in the silence her ears would ring with the screeching of tires and crushing of metal.

Before she could fully loose herself in the foggy memories that were dragging her down into the gray abyss that was her reality a pounding startled her into an upright position.  
"Fire, Fire!" Sam yelled pounding on her door before she heard him thudding down the hallway. She sat there for a moment, the logical part of her brain telling her to run but instead she just rolled over and pulled the blankets back over her head. If she was lucky maybe the smoke would kill her before the flames, she thought bitterly. A few moments later she heard Sam come thudding back down the hall still screaming fire before the 'whoosh' of the fire extinguisher drowned him out.

With a sigh she curled back up into the fetal position and closed her eyes, attempting to let herself drift back off into unconsciousness when a series of bangs caused her to open her eyes once again. She could faintly her Sam screaming something through the door and after a moments debate swung her legs over the edge of the bed. With a heave she pulled herself into an upright position, grabbing onto the desk as her head spun slightly. Steadying herself she took a step towards the door before an explosion threw her back with a yelp. She felt the breath get knocked out of her upon impact with the hard wood floor, chunks of smoldering splintered woods scratched at her bare arms which she had flung forward in an attempt to protect her face. Heaving in breaths she coughed as black smoke filled her lungs, and burned at her eyes. In the distance she could hear sirens and her breathing began to quicken.

The sirens got louder and louder until her head was splitting from the sound, clapping her hands over her ears she screamed in an attempt to quiet them to no avail. She couldn't help it as she felt herself slipping back into the memory that was her nightmare.

Country played softly from the speakers lulling Bianca to sleep in the back seat of her fathers old ford truck. Her parents softly conversed in hushed tones as her father guided the vehicle through the dark roads that lead them home. A moment later a pair of high beams came up on them and Bianca blearily looked behind her, squinting into the darkness at the vehicle which was quickly gaining on them.

"Dios Mio, they are in quite the hurry," he mother noted as the vehicle was quickly overtaking them.

"Hold on you two, I am going to pull off and let them pass us." flicking on the blinker her father began to slow down and pull onto the curb, not wanting to deal with the driver behind them. Looking back over her shoulder Bianca's eyes widened and she could barely even let out the short scream of, "Look out!" before the small sports car shot past, barely missing them. She felt her heart hammering in her chest and saw her mother reach out and grab her fathers sleeve with one hand, and grasp her own heaving chest with other.  
"Jesus, it's alright were fine." her father assured them. "What an idiot," he seethed,flicking on his blinker and pulling back out onto the street.

Bianca settled back down into her seat, feeling her heart rate begin to beat at a normal pace. Coming up to a red light her father slowed to a stop even though they were the only ones on the road. "Crazy" by Hunter Hayes flicked on the radio and Bianca softly hummed along in the back with it, still trying to come down off her brief adrenaline high. As the light flickered green their truck moved forward, and none of them had time to register the vehicle that came speeding towards them in the dark. The impact came from the drivers side door; Bianca's head was flung back, cracking hard against the back window. Tires squealed as metal crunched against metal, the force of the impact sent their vehicle tumbling disorienting Bianca as she was flung against her seat belt like a rag doll. What felt like centuries but was only a few short moments later their truck came to a stop upside down. Frightened screams tore from Bianca's lips as she tried to take in what had just happened. Her ears rang and in the back ground she could still hear the radio faintly playing.

Small trails of blood had begun to make paths down her cheeks and she blinked her eyes fiercely to try and keep the red from getting in them. Her vision continued to blur in and out and she searched frantically for any indicator that her parents were OK.  
"Mom, Dad!" she cried out, but she couldn't be sure if she was actually making any noise due to the ringing in her ears. So she kept screaming, her throat felt raw and her ears rang from the head trauma but she didn't know what else to do.

"B-Bianca" her mothers voice called back. Bia felt her heart leap into her throat at the familiar sound.

"Mom!" she cried again, trying to reach for the silhouette of her mother.

"Bianca," her words were barely a whisper and Bia began to yank on her seat belt, but her hands were shaking so terribly that she couldn't find the clasp.

Sirens cut through her panic and she did her best to search the darkness from her position upside down for their source. She could make out the red and blue lights flashing against the pavement and she began to cry for help.

"Were in here, help us please!" Her vision was beginning to fuzz at the edges as her headache continued to increase. "It's the police mom, they're here, I can see them." But her mom didn't respond and the lights began to fade from her vision. "Wait, we're here. Please come back!"She cried, her voice loosing volume as her consciousness began to slip. The music had cut out and the voice of a woman was faintly heard in the background, but it wasn't her mother's voice.

"This is OnStar Crash Response, we have alerted local authorities of your location." Bianca closed her eyes, letting her body go limp as the darkness tugged even harder at her.

"Mom," she whispered on last time before blacking out completely.

Some time later she began to feel consciousness prick at the back of her mind and she tried to fight her way through the fog. Her head pounded and her mouth felt like it was full of cotton balls. Peeling her eyes open she could see the reflection of red and blue lights on the ground and faintly hear the sound of people calling out orders. Pairs of feet moved quickly around the vehicle and she tried to call out but it came out as a rasp.  
A face came into view, and it took her a minute to focus on it.

"The girl's alive, I need medics here!" he yelled over his shoulder, before focusing his attention back on her. He had a kind face, bushy mustache and old eyes and Bianca found comfort in that.

"My Name is Officer. Shuty, can you tell me your name." Her tongue ran across her dry lips and Bianca fought through her pounding headache.

"B-Bianca," she rasped and smiled.

"That's great Bianca, can you tell me what happened?" Her eyes searched around for a moment as she tried to recall what had happened.

"We were in an accident. My mom and dad, are they OK?" she asked in a panic as the events came rushing back. "My mom was talking to me but my dad, he didn't say anything is he OK?" she panicked, tears springing to her eyes.

"Listen Bianca, we have our crew working on getting you and your parent's out of the vehicle. We will do everything we can OK?" she nodded meekly. "Now I am going to let my partner here look you over before we try to get you out OK?"

"o-OK" she blubbered. 's face disappeared before another one took it's place.

"Your name is Bianca right?" she nodded. "My name is Ryan, and I need you to answer a few questions for me, OK Bianca?" she nodded again. "Can you tell me what hurts?" he asked and she paused for a second taking stock of her body.

"My head hurts, and my chest where the seat belt is. Also my shoulders are sore."

"That's great Bianca, now can you move all your fingers and toes?" she paused and wiggled said appendages.

"I-I think so."

"You're doing great. Listen Bianca I am going to go ahead and try and get this neck brace on you OK? It's important that you try and keep as still as possible."

"OK" she froze and Ryan crawled in through the broken window as best he could before maneuvering himself in a way that he could fit the collar around her neck. A few moments later the collar was snug and he was making his way back towards the broken window.

"Alright Bianca, We are going to get you out of there now. There is going to be a loud noise, that is our saw there is nothing to worry about." A few moments later she could hear the whirring of the saw and Ryan's face reappeared. "Go ahead and shut your eyes tight OK?" she did just that and soon after she could hear that saw ripping against the warped metal of the vehicle. A couple hot sparks landed on her face but she dare not open her eyes.

A few seconds later the saw clicked off and she carefully peeked through her eyelids to see the crumpled mess of her door yanked off. Two men moved forward, one bracing her as the other used a pair of seat belt cutters to release her from the seat. As the pressure of the belt was released from her legs she could feel the rush of blood send pins and needles down her legs, and she let herself be carried from the wreckage, glad to finally be right side up.

"My mom and dad, where are there?" she asked as she was strapped onto a gurney, medics poking and prodding her as she was pushed towards the back of the ambulance and loaded up. " !" She called, fear bubbling up in her chest.

"Bianca," climbed into the rig after her. "Listen Bianca, I am going to follow behind you in my squad car OK? Don't worry about your parent's they are being extracted as we speak, and we are going to do everything we can to help them OK."

"OK," she blubbered and jumped from the vehicle, shutting the door's behind him.

"Bianca, Bianca can you hear me?" Bianca's eyes flew open and she attempted to sit up, looking around wildly as panic overtook her.

"Mom!" She cried. Her wild eyes took her surroundings, the time of day, the burning house, the concerned face of her Aunt and slowly she began to come back to the present time.

"Bianca," her eyes flicked to the medic. "Can you-"

"Yes I can hear you, my name is Bianca Witwickey, there was a fire or something and I fell" she rattled off, knowing the drill. The medic gave her a soft smile.

"You had some smoke inhalation but other than that everything seems OK," he turned to her Aunt who looked like she had been attacked by a waffle iron. "Would you like to ride in the ambulance,"

"Please no hospital, I'm OK, you said so yourself." Bianca piped up and the two looked to her.

"But honey," her Aunt began.

"Please Aunt. Judy, no more hospitals." she begged and Judy sighed and looked to the E.M.T.

"Does she have to go?" he shook his head.

"You have every right to deny medical treatment, I would like to monitor her vitals for a few minutes and put her on an oxygen tank while we sort things out though," Judy nodded. "I just have some forms to fill out stating that you are denying medical treatment, are you her legal guardian?" Her Aunt nodded and the E.M.T. Turned to Bianca, handing her a small plastic oxygen mask.

"Go ahead and breath into this until I come back OK?" she nodded, taking the mask and pressing it to her face. Her Aunt bent over and gave her forehead a peck before following after the E.M.T.

Taking in the scene Bianca sighed before something caught her eye. Setting down the mask she rushed forward to the yard where a small stuffed animal lay among the rubble. His fur was singed but Scraps was none the worse for wear. Hugging the keepsake to her chest she returned to her spot on the steps and pressed the mask once again to her face awaiting the return of her aunt and the medic.


	4. Chapter 4

**Sorry for the late update, my only excuse is my own laziness. That I have been preoccupied with other fandoms :O  
So this chapter took a little different route than the original. I wanted to delve more into Bianca's loss, and follow the stages a grief a little more.  
With that being said I am going to place a trigger warning here just to be safe. **

**Hope you enjoy. Reviews and PM's are love :D**

 **P.S. Until I can afford Microsoft office I have come to the conclusion that my formatting is doomed. D: Please don't hate me.**

Her's and Sam's room had been totaled in the fire, which she had been told was caused by an electrical short. So Bianca had relocated her massive pile of blankets to the day bed in the downstairs office. After many tears and buts from her aunt, she had finally convinced her that she would be fine on her own, and they had flown out two days prior to Paris. The phone rang every 4 hours, and Bianca learned that the sooner she answered and let her aunt know she was still alive the better.  
The quiet house had been a blessing for the girl. She was finally able to grieve without the prying eyes of her family watching her every move. She now stood in the front hallway for the second time since her arrival. The smiling faces of her parents stared back at her from the many pictures that decorated the wall. Anger surged through her, and with a scream she ripped the picture from the wall, smashing it against the floor.  
The anger clawed at her insides like a caged tiger, and consumed her entirely. She clung to the anger, glad to finally feel something other than the emptiness that had swallowed her whole.  
"You left me!" she cried in anguish snatching another picture off the wall; this one a happy family portrait from her first birthday. Flinging it against the wall a few more frames fell from their place, shattering on the floor upon impact. "Why did you leave me all alone? Why!" she howled. Bianca swung around, looking wildly for something else to take her anger out on, when a glint from the counter caught her eyes, Sam's keys. Without giving it another thought she strode forward, grabbing the keys and making a beeline for the door. She didn't even bother slipping on a pair of shoes, as she flung the front door open.  
Bumblebee had already heard the commotion from inside the house and watched as she came stomping towards him. If possible she looked even worse than when he saw her last, and the crazed look in her eye didn't help. Wrenching open the door she threw herself into the vehicle, and jammed the keys into the ignition. Unsure of what to do, Bumblebee let the scenario play out for the time being.  
As the engine roared to life Bianca harshly kicked the car into reverse, leaving the seat belt unbuckled next to her. Angry tears were leaking down her face making it hard to see but she didn't need to really see for what she had planned.  
"You left me," she seethed, kicking the car into drive and slamming her foot down on the gas. Her head smacked against the headrest from the sudden direction change, causing her to bite her tongue. She hissed in pain, her rage only being fueled into an even bigger frenzy. Bumblebee's tires screeched on the asphalt before catching and flying forward.  
Due to the early morning hour the streets were empty, allowing Bia's road rage to go unchecked.  
"You left me here, alone. But not for long!" she screamed, urging the speedometer faster. Bumblebee had deduced what it was she was intending to do and his spark twisted painfully in his was no stranger to loss, his entire life had been spent in times of war and he had lost many comrades through the years, but never once did he imagine that such extreme measures would be taken.  
Bianca wrenched the wheel, sending them careening towards the barrier and Bee decided that enough was enough. Taking control of the situation he clicked her seat belt across her lap and Bianca let out a gasp, looking down at the belt in bewilderment.  
" **Click it or ticket" she cried out as the speakers came to life. The wheel yanked itself from her white knuckled grip, and the breaks hit hard squealing against the pavement as the Camaro came to a stop millimeters from the barrier.**  
Bianca's chest heaved as she gulped in lungs full of air, adrenaline pumping through her body causing her to shake.  
"What the, no no NO!" She screeched thrashing about, yanking at her seat belt before giving up and trying to gain control of the wheel instead. "Mierte, is this car possessed!" she yelled, hitting the steering wheel over and over as it began to turn itself in the direction of the Witwickey house.  
" **Don't worry you're not alone, baby those day's are gone. I promise you it will get better, better. Corazon a corazon." Bumblebee tried to calm the girl down, tightening his seat belt's hold on her to try and keep her still as best he could. The familiar gravel of the Witwickey drive way crunched beneath his wheels and Bumblebee slowed to a stop, unclicking the buckle.**  
Bianca flung the seat belt off of herself before she grabbed the door handle and shoved it open, tumbling out of the car. She skittered away from it a good distance before turning back around to face the car.  
" **Take it easy kid...I mean you no harm** " the girl let out a shriek and bolted inside, slamming the door behind her, before peeking out of the blinds at him.  
Bumblebee let out a huff, Sam's cousin was proving to be quiet the handfull, and Bumblebee planned on giving him a piece of his mind next time he saw him. While Sam was off partying at college and having the time of his left, Bumblebee was stuck babysitting a mentally unstable 17 year old girl. Before the young bot could dwell on his bad luck any further a call came in, disturbing his thoughts.  
" **Calling all Autobots, calling all Autobots. This is Optimus Prime, there is an urgent matter to be discussed. I am sending you coordinates. Roll out!"  
** Bumblebee hesitated momentarily, unsure if he should leave Bianca in her current state. He had no doubt that if she had hijacked a normal car she would just be a stain on the cement by now. However, Bumblebee was first and foremost a soldier, not a babysitter and his commander had given him orders. So, with one last glance at the brown eyes peering at him from behind the curtains he reversed out of the driveway, and headed towards the coordinates Optimus had sent him.

As the car pulled out of the driveway Bianca turned around, letting the drapes shut, and slowly slid down the wall, tugging her knees to he chest. She tried to talk through what had just transpired.  
"The car is possessed, it's possessed and drove itself off! Either that or you have gone absolutely crazy Bianca." she tried to reason aloud, "You were driving the car, you were going towards the barrier and it stopped itself." She paused, and felt her stomach twist painfully. "You were going towards the barrier...I was going towards...I was going to," As the realization dawned on her a wave of nausea crashed over her and she bolted to the bathroom where she threw up the little bit of water she had drank mixed with stomach acid. Since she had not eaten solid food in days she had nothing to throw up other than that, but continued to dry heave, bent over the toilet.  
Sucking in breaths she finally was able to gain control of herself, and rocked back onto her heels letting the reality of what she had tried to do sink in. She brought her shaking hands up in front of her face and stared at them wide eyed.  
"Did I...I just tried...I-I" A new wave of emotion washed over her and she clasped her hands over her eyes as loud sobs echoed through the empty house. "I-I-I'm so-so sorry" she cried out. "Mom, dad I'm sorry. I d-didn't mean it. I just wish you didn't have-have to leave me! I n-n-need you still" She wailed, letting her hands fall to her sides.  
Maybe she had finally snapped, everyone was waiting for her to have her mental breakdown, and here it was. She wasn't sure how long she sat there, letting her sorrow wash over her wave after wave. By the time she had calmed down some her throat was hoarse and her limbs were full of pins and needles. Taking in a couple shuddering breaths she let her head fall back against the car wasn't possessed, she reasoned with herself, she just had an episode and her subconcious took over, self-preservation. "Mierte!" she cursed rubbing furiously at her eyes.  
For the first time since the accident a small window of clarity had broken through the fog that had clouded her senses these past weeks and she was damned if she was going to let herself regress back to where she was. An odor caught her attention then, and she wrinkled her nose in disgust. Sniffing around she finally tracked the smell to be coming from her. Reaching up she grimaced as she felt the greasy knotted mass on her head that was her hair.  
Carefully, Bianca made he way to standing, using the wall for support. Her legs had gone numb and she had to brace herself multiple times to keep from collapsing, before she turned to face the mirror. Bianca refused to believe the person staring back was her. Her cheeks, once still round with traces of baby fat had become gaunt. Her brown eyes which were normally her best feature had sunk into shallow pits, reminding her of the zombie's she had seen on T.V. Her olive skin had turned ashey and sick looking, her clothes hung off her frame and her collar bone poked out from the top of her shirt.  
"Dios mio' she breathed. She wasn't sure how long she stared back at her broken reflection before finally gathering the resolve and heading for the shower. The hot water washed over her, and the longer she let it pelt her naked frame, the more human she felt.  
By the time she finally finished washing herself the water had begun to cool. Stepping out, she wrapped herself in a plush towel before turning back to the now foggy mirror. Wiping away a small patch of condensation she did her best to smile. It came out as a grimace, but at least the hot water had brought a little color back to her cheeks, making her seem a little more human.  
Making her way back to the office she did her best to avoid the shattered pictures, not yet ready to deal with that mess. Unzipping her still packed suitcase she pulled a fresh pair of clothing from it. They were loose, but would serve their purpose for the time being. She then made her way to the kitchen, some semblance of an appetite beginning to form.  
As she made her way down the hall she could hear the crunch of gravel beneath tires, and she changed her course to head to the front door. Peeking out the curtains once more she felt her stomach drop. The squad car let out two loud 'whoops' as it came to a halt. Bianca sighed, either her earlier escapade had been called in by someone, or she had missed her Aunt's call and she had in turn called the cops to come check on her. Either way she was not looking forward to explaining either situation.  
Steeling her resolve she made her way out of the front door and towards the car whose door popped open.  
"Look officer, I don't know if my aunt called you or what but-" she paused as two popping noises went off. Looking down she found two small darts sticking out of her abdomen. "what the...Que es...esto.." her speech slurred as the darts serum quickly entered her blood stream and a moment later her body went limp, sending her crumpling to the ground in a heap.

"female acquired" Barricade reported over his comm link.

Bumblebee was downtrodden as he turned down the familiar street that the Witwickey house sat on. Sam's denial sat heavy on his spark; they had been together through so much, they were best friends, and for the second time this week he had tossed him aside like an old newspaper. Deep down Bumblebee understood where Sam was coming from, why he would want a normal life, but it didn't make the sting of rejection any less.  
Part of him wanted to retaliate, show Sam that he wasn't just a dog he could ditch at home when he left for college. He was an Autobot, he should be out running recon, searching for the straggler Decepticons whom they didn't take out at the battle of Mission city. He didn't belong rotting in a driveway, babysitting the cousin of his supposed bestfriend.  
Bumblebee's engine rumbled in discontent as he pulled into the driveway. He was so deep in his thoughts that it took a minute for his sensors to pick up on the small traces of energon that lingered. Going on alert Bumblebee ran a full scan of the area, searching for any bogies. His scan came back negative for any Decepticons, and he calmed down slightly until he realized that his scan also didn't pick up any heat signatures within the house.  
Various scenarios ran through his processors, all of them ended with the girl having her delicate life snuffed out. His spark fluttered in nervousness as he changed into his normal form, hoping that no pedestrians were out on a midnight walk. Moving closer to the house he noticed that the door was ajar. Doing his best to peer in he ran another scan for any trace of the girl, alive or dead.  
He heaved a sigh of relief when his scans showed that there was no one in the house. His relief was short lived though as he tried to figure out what could of happened to her, it was then noticed a small glint in the gravel just past the steps that led into the house. Reaching out he carefully picked up the small silver cross and examined it. He recalled that had hung around Bianca's neck, and the entire ride home she would reach up periodically and trace it's design.  
This wasn't good, the traces of energon, abandoned house and now her necklace all led Bumblebee to believe that she didn't leave voluntarily. Turning he quickly transformed back into his alt mode before racing down the road while sending out an emergency signal to Optimus. 

**Let me know what you think : D**


	5. Chapter 5

**Sorry for the late update, I have no excuse other than adulting is hard!  
Enjoy, reviews are love!**

Bianca's head felt as though it were about to split open, and she groaned aloud as she slowly began to regain consciousness. Her body felt stiff, and when she tried to move, it was like moving a ton of bricks. Pausing, she attempted to pry open her eyes, which also seemed to be much heavier than she remembered. Her mouth was dry, feeling as though she hadn't had a drink for days and she did her best to wet her lips to no avail.  
After a few more minutes she was finally able to coax her eyes open. The harsh light caused her head to pound even more than before and she sucked in a breath. The air was dusty and old, not at all what the Witwickey house was like. Looking around a wave of dizziness came over her, followed by nausea. Closing her eyes she waited for the feeling to pass before she slowly opened them once again. This time she moved a little slower, still waiting for her world to stop spinning.  
She was laying on a small metal table, causing her back to ache. Carefully she moved to a sitting position and once again attempted to take in her surroundings. Her blood ran cold and a scream tore from her lips as she stared up at the sight before her. Sheets of thick, polished metal built up the beast that filled the deserted warehouse. Glowing red eyes peered down at her, and what appeared to be a mouth crammed full of jagged teeth sneered at her as she tried to scramble backwards, tumbling off of the table she previously lay on.  
It's hand reached out and grabbed a hold of her roughly, and a gasp of pain cut her screams short as a solid 'snap' caused her eyes to well up with tears as pain blossomed in her side. The mix of fear and pain was overwhelming and her mind raced for an explanation of what was happening.

"You flesh bags disgust me, so pathetic and weak," as if to emphasize his point another pang of pain shot through her as she felt another rib crack. Another scream bubbled up and she cried out, clenching her eyes shut. It's voice grated on her ears, the metallic sound sending shivers up her spine. The hand's grip on her tightened even more and began to shake her violently causing her scream to cut off as the bot gave her whiplash for the second time in past couple of months.  
"Enough! You're vocal processors annoy me!" He commanded giving her one final good shake. A third solid crack sounded and Bianca did her best to take small breaths as anything bigger than that caused her side to flare up in pain.  
"Please, just tell me what you want," she begged. She didn't understand what was happening, nor did she know when her life turned into a sci fi movie. The creature leered at her, bringing her even closer to it's face. She did her best to pull away, albeit it wasn't very successful.  
"You cousin, Sam Witwicky has something I want, something I need. You're just here as collateral to make sure he doesn't make any, rash decisions." He cooed in a voice that she was sure would haunt her dreams for many nights to come.  
"Sam?" She asked, unsure of what he had to do with these monsters, or what he could possibly offer them. The creature ignored her though, his attention switching to the ceiling of the old warehouse. Bianca followed his gaze, the whirring of a helicopter slowly getting closer and closer to their location.  
"Right on time," he grunted. Moments later she gasped as a car crashed through the ceiling, multiple screams sounding from within it as it smashed into the ground below. The helicopter followed the car, entering the building from the hole in the ceiling it created, before transforming into a beast much like the one that was currently holding her hostage.  
The second monsters hand turned into a saw and it took it to the car, effectively cutting it in half. A familiar scream rang in her ears and she cried out for her cousin as he stumbled out of the now destroyed car. The presence of someone she knew gave her a small sense of relief, glad that she was no longer alone. A girl crawled out of the car behind Sam, and Bianca could only assume she was his girlfriend, though it kind of surprised her considering she seemed to be a bit out of his league. A third person picked up the rear, a boy who looked about frantically, muttering to himself.  
"Bia," Sam called to her, his heart sinking in his chest as he looked upon the sight before him. His cousin was firmly grasped in the claw like hand that belonged to the once deceased Decepticon leader.  
"Megatron,"Bianca watched as her cousins face continued to twist and contort in fear and she felt her heart pound harder against her chest, this was bad.  
"Come here boy," Megatron demanded, and Sam obeyed holding his hands up in surrender as he went. "Closer," he barked.  
"Sam, what's happening. What did you do?" Bianca cried out. "Help me, please" she begged.  
"I'll do whatever you say OK, just let them go, let Bia-" He couldn't finish his sentence as Megatron's free hand swept out, knocking the boy from the stairs and to the ground below.  
"Sam!" two female voices cried out. Bianca struggled harder against the giant robots grip, "Sam, Please stop it. Sam!" she sobbed.  
This all had to be a dream, she clenched her eyes shut tightly. That was it, this was a dream, all of it was a dream caused by too much sugar and a scary movie before bed. Any minute she would wake up and be back in her bed in Texas. Her mom would be in the kitchen making breakfast and her dad would be in his shed tinkering with his latest project. She clenched her teeth, and bit down on the inside of her cheek since she couldn't pinch herself. She WOULD wake up from this dream; when she did wake up she would be back in the sky blue sheets that had been spotted with stains from midnight snacks and miscalculations of nail polish.  
Try as she might though she couldn't wake herself from this nightmare, all she succeeded in doing was cause her mouth to bleed, the metallic taste making her grimace. She could hear Sam's protest echo through the warehouse and she gave up trying, slowly letting her eyes open once again to the scene unfolding before her. Sam was now pinned down on a small slab of concrete and the claw that held her was only a couple feet away from him.  
"It feels good to hold your flesh, I am going to kill you slowly, painfully. First, I may make you watch as I kill the girl." He thrust Bia directly in front of Sam, if her arms were free from his grasp she could have reached out and touched him.  
"Sam, what's going on. First your car was possessed and now this, I don't understand." she bawled, before he could answer though she was pulled away from him. Sam screamed in protest, struggling violently.  
"Now I need something from you boy. Doctor, examine the specimen." Megatron growled. A small spidery bot slithered its way onto his chest and began to mutter excitedly as it poked and prodded Sam's face. Bianca couldn't understand a word of it, the accent different from the normal Spanish ones back home. She gagged as another robot was dropped into his mouth, its tendrils snaking back out through his nose. After a moment of Sam gagging on the snake like creature it made it's way back out. The spidery bot gabbing ahold of it and examining it before it began to mutter again. Sam seemed to follow the creatures mutterings however as he repeated one word back.  
"Brain?" He stammered, struggle increasing and Megatron leered down at him.  
"You have something on your mind, let me take care of it for you" he sneered. Sam began to scream as a small saw extended from the bots wrist and moved towards his forehead.  
"Sam!" Bianca screamed, thrashing wildly against her captors grip;ignoring the pain in her side she did her best to break free.  
A resounding crash sounded and shook the building and Megatron let out a roar as two new robots crashed into the building, guns blazing. With this new distraction Sam was able to roll off the table and put some distance between him and Megatron. He turned around to try and figure out a way to safely extract Bianca from the Cons grip. His eyes widened as he watched in horror as her captor tossed the girl aside, attention now locked on Optimus Prime.  
"Bumblebee!"Sam cried, pointing to the girl who was now flying through the air. The yellow bot paused his assault on Starscream, following Sam's gaze, optics widening. Sending one final plasma blast at the Decepticons chest Bumblebee sprung forward, leaping for the girl who was hurtling towards the ground.

Air whipped through her hair, and she flailed hopeless as she was sent careening through the air. Her mouth was open in a scream as she watched the ground get closer and closer with every second. She was going to end up as a stain against the cold unforgiving concrete beneath her. Maybe it was a fluke that she made it out of that car accident alive, maybe this was the universe's way of correcting its mistake.  
As she fell she caught a blur of movement out of the corner of her eye and she did her best to turn and see what was happening. Her brown eyes locked onto a pair of ice blue ones that were soaring towards her. A flash of recognition crossed her mind, the familiar yellow and black paint job jogging her memory. Reaching out to him her fear of giant robots was momentarily replaced by the fear of falling to her death.  
Bumblebee snatched her from the air, hands forming a protective cocoon around her and pulling her to his chest as he crashed through the wall of the warehouse, tumbling to try and reduce impact. Bianca screamed as she was jostled around roughly, causing her ribs to sear in protest and Bumblebee winced, doing his best to try and smooth out the fall for her sake.  
As he skidded to a halt he gingerly opened the small fortress his hands made to see two small, startled eyes staring back at him. Whirring softly he leaned down to take her in, bruising covered the exposed parts of her body and she clutched her side in pain as she lay crumpled in a ball. Tears left streaks in the dirt that covered her cheeks and small scrapes decorated her arms and legs.  
Knowing time was of the essence Bee quickly, but gently, set her on the ground and transformed into his alternate mode, popping his driver side door open for her. After a moment of hesitation she stumbled into his interior.  
He slammed the door shut behind her and snapped on her seatbelt before spinning around and taking off, meeting up with Mikaela and the new kid who was babbling incoherently.  
They hurled themselves into his open doors and he took off once again to rally with the rest of the Autobots. Whirring softly through the radio he couldn't help but worry about his newest charge as she sobbed into the seat. She had curled in on herself and clutched her left side as every panting breath she took sent a fresh surge of tears to her eyes.  
"Bianca, look at me, Bianca," Mikaela called to her from her seat on the passenger side. She gently reached out and rested a hand on the girls chin, turning it so she would look at her. "My name is Mikaela, I am Sam's girlfriend, Bianca-"  
"What the hell is happening!" she all but screamed at the brunette. "This is crazy, giant robots, Sam's brain, car chases? What is wrong with you people, why are you not freaking out!" she spat in the pretty girl's solemn face. Bumblebee took a curve a little too hard, jostling Bia's body and irritating her throbbing side, causing her to yelp in pain. Mikaela scolded him, begging him to smooth out the ride, he chirped in apology.  
Bianca pulled her shirt up slowly, revealing the ugly bruise that blossomed from her side and wrapped around her torso.  
"She needs a hospital," Mikaela stated out loud staring wide eyed at the purple bruise that seemed to grow before her eyes.  
Static filled the car before another voice echoed throughout the car.  
"Mikaela, what's wrong?"  
"Ratchet, they took Sam's cousin and I think a few of her ribs are broken, we need to get her to a hospital," she answered, speaking into the radio.  
"We will get her medical attention as soon as possible, but right now we must help Optimus. Ratchet out." And with that the car fell silent again, save for the roar of Bumblebee's engine and the squeal of tires as he sped through the streets, making his way out of town.  
"Alright Bianca, I need you to try and take slow deep breaths ok? You're going to be ok, we'll get you help," Mikaela soothed, brushing her fingers through the younger girls tangled hair that stuck to her tear stained face.  
"How are you so damn calm?" Bia accused staring incredulously at the girl who stared back silently. "What is going on? First this thing practically kidnaps me when I try to go for a drive," Bumblebee whirred in protest, ready to remind her that it wasn't just 'a drive' rather a suicide mission, but she ignored him "Then I am literally drugged and kidnapped, next thing I know I'm a hundred feet off the ground being held by a giant alien robot talking about taking Sam's brain. Why am I the only one freaking out! Oh and to top it off I'm now back in said devil car!" Mikaela sighed, running a hand through her hair but was saved needing to come up with a quick answer when the sound of gun fire and screeching metal drew every ones attention outside.  
Looking out the window the three teens mouths dropped as the sight of the war zone of giant robots met their gazes and a ruffled Sam came sprinting towards the car from the battlefield. He slid in next to Mikaela who quickly shifted into his lap. As soon as the door shut Bumblebee sped off, leaving the fighting behind him.


	6. Chapter 6

**Hold onto your butts, two updates in one day!**

 **So I decided to split this chapter up from what it originally was. Again I am trying to delve more into Bianca's healing process as well as take a more defined look at everyone's grieving process over the loss of Optimus.  
This is a bit shorter than what I have been posting, but not by much and 90 percent of it is completely rewritten and I am much happier with it's content as compared to it's predecessor.**

 **As always enjoy!  
P.s. I don't own Transformers blah blah blah, if I did adulting wouldn't be nearly as hard.**

"Sam we need to get her to a hospital, she can't keep going on like this. She could have internal bleeding for all we know!"  
"I've already told you Mikaela, her face is plastered all over the news right next to mine. If we drop her off somewhere now she will be handed over to the government or worse, the Decepticons. No, she is safer here with us!" Mikaela pursed her lips and glared at Sam who was nervously pacing back and forth, his hands constantly dragging through his hair.  
Bia watched silently from her perch on the rusted out stairs of the uninhabited building they took refuge in, her teeth worrying away at what was left of the nail on her ring finger. After her outburst in the car she hadn't said anything other than to answer questions about her throbbing side that Mikaela sent her way. The pain had dulled into a constant ache that was bearable as long as she didn't move. Her legs had fallen asleep 20 minutes ago, but she preferred the uncomfortable feeling of pins and needles over the sharp stabs of pain that would accompany any movement.  
"Sam, I know you're upset about Optimus-" She stopped mid-sentence as he stopped his pacing. Up until now Sam had refused eye contact after their escape, Bia suddenly wished that he had continued to do so; she recognized the look in his eyes immediately. The pain and guilt behind his eyes was as clear as day to her. Those emotions had consumed her entirely for the past couple months, and nearly destroyed her.  
Her heart twisted painfully in her chest, and she wanted to reach out to him. She stopped herself from doing so though, instead choosing to clench her fists in her lap. "I'm so sorry for your loss," she could still remember all the faceless, nameless people who attended her parent's funeral lining up to tell her the same thing before pulling her into what they thought was a heartfelt embrace.  
Sam stood stock still a moment longer, before turning and striding away from the two girls. Mikaela made to follow and Bianca spoke up, startling her.  
"Don't, he is grieving. He needs his space, he will come back when he is ready." Mikaela looked to Bianca who was staring after Sam's retreating back, her lips pulled into a sad frown. At first glance Mikaela had a hard time believing the two were related, but now she could see the similarities. They both shared an undefined jaw which gave them a youthfulness (in Sam's case a boyishness that separated him from the jocks she used date), the same worry lines on their forehead from their expressive eyebrows, and the same eyes that bared their soul if you only stopped to look.  
Mikaela cast one more unsure glance in her boyfriends direction, chewing on her lip nervously. He had stopped about a hundred yards away, and sunk down to lean against an old chain link fence that surrounded the property, his face in his hands. Sighing, Mikaela turned to face Bianca, whose brown eyes slowly left Sam's defeated form to focus on her instead.  
"Well, I'm no doctor but let's see if we can't make you a little more comfortable." Mikaela said, forcing enthusiasm to her voice and a smile on her face. Bia did her best to return it.

Dusk had fallen on the land, painting the decrepit building in hues of red. Bia walked slowly towards Mikaela and Bumblebee who sat around a small fire. The orange flames coupled with the sunset danced across Bumblebee's armor, giving his sullen face a dark look. She found it amazing, and paused momentarily to double check that what she was seeing was real. In that moment the robot looked so human, so vulnerable.  
Mikaela caught the younger girls gaze and gave her a small smile and a nod of encouragement before rising from her spot and striding towards her. She paused and held out her hand, and Bianca mimicked the motion. A small pill bottle fell into her open palm and Bia looked to the taller girl with a raised brow.  
"Oxycodone, for your ribs. Only one every 4-6 hours OK?" Bianca nodded and opened her mouth and Mikaela shook her head. "Don't ask how I got it," she gave Bianca a wink before getting more serious. "You should talk to him. Optimus was like a father to him, he could use someone to talk to."  
Bianca peered around Mikaela to the Robot who was still staring vacantly into the fire. Again she was struck by how _human_ he seemed. She frowned to looked back to Mikaela for guidance.  
"I don't know if I am the best person to give grieving advice," she paused, remembering the climax of her grief and her frown deepened. Bumblebee was there, how could she go to him now and tell him it would all be OK when only a day prior she had tried to drive them both into a concrete barrier. Mikaela gave her a knowing look and shrugged.  
"I think that's what make's you the best person for the job." She gave the younger girl a comforting pat on the shoulder before moving past her. "I'm going to go check on the rest of the boys."  
Bianca watched Mikaela disappear into the building and brought her thumb to her lip, teeth finding what little nail there was to chew nervously. Her head swiveled from the solemn robot by the fire, to the building, to the robot, to the building, until finally staying locked on the yellow bot. The sun had continued to fall leaving them now in the early shadows of night. Stuffing the pill bottle into her pocket she steeled her resolve before striding forward, thumb never leaving her lips.  
Bianca came to stand about 10 feet from the bot, but made no further action. She wasn't sure how to proceed from here, this territory frighteningly new. They barely even knew each other, in fact Bianca wasn't even aware that he was anything more than a flashy car until a couple hours ago. Chomping off that last of her thumb nail she switched to her pointer finger.  
A moment later Bumblebee became aware of her presence and his head slowly lifted, ice blue optics met rich brown eyes. Bianca's shoulders stiffened and she paused her ministrations on her nail, realizing that the next move was her's to make. Pulling her hand from her mouth she instead began to twist strands of her long hair around her finger.  
"So, you're Bumblebee," her voice was just above a whisper and she cleared her throat nervously. The bot nodded before flicking on his radio.  
" **B-ah!** " A small chuckle spilled from her lips at the sound of the two syllables being strung together to form her name. It reminded her in some ways of a child learning a word for the first time, testing it out on their tongue as they said it. Another stretch of silence formed between them, neither breaking eye contact.  
"So you're really an alien, and not a Camaro?" Bianca asked, trying to keep the mood light as she tested the waters. What sounded like a laugh answered her question and she felt her nervousness slowly ebbing away, her hand leaving her hair as she crossed her arms around herself. The movement caused a small twinge of pain in her side to flare up and she did her best to ignore it, making a mental note to find something to wash down a pain killer ASAP. "I'm sorry, about Optimus," she then said and he finally broke eye contact, looking to the ground with a sad whir. She tightened her hold on herself as the familiar feeling of loss began to creep up, threatening to find the smallest crack in the flimsy armor she had surrounded herself with since coming out of her depression hours earlier, and exploit it.  
"I know how it feels, to loose your dad. I also know that no matter how many times I tell you I'm sorry, or how unfair it is, that it won't bring him back, and that...well I guess what I am trying to say is...that is," she was rambling and she felt hot tears prick at her eyes and she stopped to take a shuddering breath, dropping her gaze to the ground. She couldn't do this, she was barely holding onto her own sanity how could she even hope to help another person through their grief?  
She heard the shifting of metal and looked up to see that Bumblebee had adjusted his position, hand now outstretched laying palm up on the ground before her. She looked at him with a raised brow in confusion before one of his fingers gestured in a 'come here' motion. She hesitated briefly, before carefully stepping onto the offered appendage. His fingers curled up and she flung her arms around his thumb with a cry, screwing her eyes shut as he lifted her into the air.  
"Wait, stop," she pleaded, holding tighter to his thumb, which was now pressing painfully into her injured ribs but she would choose that pain over falling to her death any day. Her ascent stopped and Bee clicked in worry. "I'm afraid of heights" she explained, still refusing to open her eyes and see just how far off the ground she now stood.  
" **Don't worry, bout a thing, cus every little thing, is gunna be alright!** " Bob Marley sang through his speakers, but Bia just shook her head again. " **Do you trust me?** " the familiar voice of Aladdin asked. A breathless laugh escaped her lips and she cautiously opened her eyes, never letting them wander to the ground, instead focusing on Bumblebee's face.  
"That's cheating, you can't use Disney against me." She pouted, and he smiled continuing to raise his hand with no further protest from Bianca. Said girl never let her gaze stray from his face, and eventually his hand stopped when the two became eye level. Unwilling to let go but not trusting her legs to hold her up Bianca slid slowly down until she was sitting in his palm, arms still wrapped tightly around his thumb.  
" **He was...An inspiration...A true leader!"** Bumblebee's radio played, and a few more sad whining noises followed the broadcast.  
Bianca nodded, agreeing with his sentiments. "He saved me, you both did. Not only me but Leo, and Mikaela, and Sam. I know it probably doesn't make it any easier, but he didn't die in vain." She tried, but sad eyes still stared back at her and she felt her gut twist painfully as nervous moths began to chew at her stomach again. Unconsciously she released her death grip with one hand bringing her thumb to her mouth. "Am I helping at all, or should I go?" She asked. Bumblebee shook his head and she was slightly surprised, her teeth pausing from worrying her nail.  
" **Please don't go** " an unrecognizable song played through his speakers. " **Keep talking...I don't was to be alone** " she smiled sadly at the larger being and gently released his finger, instead leaning against it.  
"I really don't know much about Optimus but, could I...I mean would you mind if I told you about...my dad?" she asked shyly. The thought of her father sent tidal waves of emotion crashing through her, but sitting here with Bumblebee, someone who looked at her in understanding rather than pity she was able to stay afloat in the riptide of emotions. He nodded and gave her an encouraging smile and she clung to it like the life raft it was.  
" **Tell me baby, what's your story?** " The 'Red Hot Chillipeppers' crooned and she closed her eyes for a moment deciding exactly where to begin.  
"My dad... He used to make the best waffles."


	7. Chapter 7

Hello!  
Sorry for the late update. My apartment has turned into a sort of a crisis center as of late. It used to be just my boyfriend, dog, cat and myself. In the last month though we have taken in another dog, my younger sister off and on, my best friend, her 9 month old, and her cat as she goes though a divorce, and my boyfriends best friend is now on our couch.  
So essentially the small bit of time I have to myself has been spent cleaning and cooking for the doubled household!  
Also I did struggle a bit with this chapters and it's edits, it is a weird mix of fluff and seriousness that I was having trouble balancing so forgive me if it isn't 100 percent. I debated on even posting it but I figured something was better than nothing.

A huge shout out to my reviewers Mikeysrevenge, and CastielLunaWinchester. Also, Bee4Ever who has regularly reviewed on not only this version but the original as well. Reviews truly do make my day, and help the muse with writing especially when I have so much going on in my head!

Without further ado let the long overdue chapter begin!

"So, us three will ride with Bee, and Bia can take one of the twins. That way if we need to run she won't slow us down." He paused throwing his cousin a small smile, "No offense."She shrugged in return, understanding his thought process. If they needed to run she would only slow them down between her cracked ribs and drugged up state. She currently sat on Bumblebee's right leg, leaning back against his torso and watching the meeting through half-lidded eyes. The Oxycodone Mikaela had swiped her was doing it's job and the pain in her side had decreased to what felt like a side ache after too much running. Alas, in return she was now battling the blanket of drowsiness that had settled in along with the pain relief.  
Bumblebee however didn't like the plan that Sam had laid down and whirred angrily as he shot through talk shows to voice just how unhappy the decision left him. The twins bristled at his complete disregard of their abilities.  
"Hey man, we can take care of some little Chilosa!"Mudflap defended, smacking his brother across the face as he flailed his arms. Skids in return cried out a "punk ass" before jumping his brother, sending the two small bots tumbling as they brawled, only furthering Bumblebee's doubt. He began to gesture wildly to the hooting and hollering brothers and looked to Sam with pleading eyes. Bia moved to slide off his lap but Bee quickly grabbed her, holding her in place while being careful of her injured ribs.  
Bianca sighed and shook her head, looking up to the over worried bot and patted his hand affectionately. She couldn't help the small smile that had fought its way to her lips, his genuine concern over her well being was endearing.  
Sam watched the over friendly exchange, jaw dropped at the sudden friendship that had manifested between his alien robot of a best friend, and his grieving cousin, who up to this point had barely said two words to anyone.  
"It's ok, I'll be fine. You know Sam's right, I would only cause you guys problems if we need to get away in a hurry. She reasoned with the Bot who in turn let our a series of clicks and whirs before flicking on his radio.  
"He better be good to you, cause if he doesn't I'll be there. Don't you know baby yeah, yeah I'll be there. Just call my name and I'll be there" his speakers sang and she smiled up at him, nodding. The brother's had sorted out their spat for the most part, and now stood side by side occasionally shoving the other while muttering an eclectic slur that Bia made a mental note to look up later. He gently, albeit reluctantly set her on the ground by mudflaps feet before leering at the smaller Bot with an aggressive series of clicks, that none doubted were meant to convey the threat of what would happen if any harm befell the human girl he was giving up.  
Sam watched the entire exchange in disbelief, still not sure what he had missed in the last 24 hours.  
"Does anyone want to tell me what the hell is going on?

Bia now sat Dozing in Mudflaps driver's seat as the caravan headed to a location that Leo claimed was where they could find a guy named Robo-Warrior, another conspiracy theorist who was constantly one-upping Leo's own conspiracy site.  
They had found a large mens overshirt back at the warehouse and she wore it to hide some of the bruising on her arms, and to offer a little more protection than what her simple t shirt offered. They could do nothing for her legs however so she was still in her simple khaki shorts and barefoot.  
She felt naked without the seat belt around her midsection and frowned; Bumblebee always fastened her seat belt for her. She groggily clicked it around her waist and tried to get comfortable but found that Mudflaps seats just didn't seem to conform to her like Bee's did. Sighing she did the best she could and allowed her eyes to close.  
She was startled awake when Sam gently shook her shoulder, groggily she looked up at him.  
"Hey we're here," she rubbed her eyes and reached over to unclick her seat belt. Climbing out of the car she squinted her eyes at the light and paused to take in her surroundings. They were in front of a hole in the wall Jewish deli on a busy side street. Stepping forward she tripped over her feet as a wave of dizziness caught her off guard.  
A pair of hands caught her and pulled her up from falling, she looked up to see Leo looking down at her with a concerned smile.  
"Careful" he offered her and she smiled a thanks. When his hands lingered a little too long a whirring and chirping caught her attention and she pushed away from Leo. She rested a hand on Bee's hood, which was still quite warm from the drive. The warmth felt good against her hand and she smiled down at the car, which was still whirring softly.  
"See all in one piece. Tranquillo" she cooed. She turned away and quickly fell in line behind Sam who was peeking into the small Deli.  
"You!" and next thing she knew Sam and an older man were yelling back and forth over the counter leaving a very confused Bia, an annoyed Mikaela, and a baffled Leo.  
"What the hell is sector 7?" Bia whispered to Mikaela, picking it out of the yelling.  
"It was a secret military base that was built in the Hoover damn, dedicated to experimenting on alien artifacts." Bianca didn't miss the emphasis on was and was able to deduce that the man Sam was arguing with had once been apart of said sector, and wasn't too happy to see Sam, leading he to believe that he had been part of the reason it was a past tense.  
After another moment of arguing to the two seemed to come to a decision as the older man ushered a gaggle of unamused patrons out the door before flicking off the open sign. He lead the group back into the large walk in fridge and Bianca wrinkled her nose at the sight of mutilated animals hanging from large hooks.  
"What's a matter kid, vegetarian?" he teased and Bianca scoffed, crossing her arms.  
"Thinking about it," she muttered, following the group down the hatch that he had pulled open.  
Bia looked in awe at the Photos and files that covered the room, all of them pertaining to the transformers. Large webs covered the walls, and the tables were stacked with overflowing folders and objects in no discernible order. Sam and Simmons had moved to one side of the room and talking about the symbols he had been seeing, and drawing. Looking around Biance saw Mikaela disappear back up the stairs, and Leo was busy leafing through a stack of folders on the table closest to him.  
"Hey kid, this isn't amateur hour. No touchie!" Leo blew a raspberry but none the less followed Simmons instructions, instead pacing the room and letting his eyes rove the webs that covered the walls. Simmons turned back to Sam and Bia couldn't help her curiosity, she turned to the stack of files closest to her and began to slowly leaf through them, not really looking for anything in particular, rather just browsing since she wasn't needed any where else.  
She paused, eyes widening as a familiar Camaro appeared beneath her finger tips. Looking up she saw that Sam and Simmons were still engaged in animated conversation and she reached out, grabbing the folder.  
Her eyes drank in the contents, occasionally glancing up to make sure she wouldn't get in trouble, however she might as well have been invisible to the men, which worked for her. Page after page contained pictures and stats of yellow Autobot, each page causing her stomach to sink deeper and deeper, until she finally paused on one large 5'7 shot. Her fingers traced the photo's glossy surface, frown tugging at her lips.  
Beneath her finger tips Bumblebee was strapped to a table that resembled a super sized operating table, and she couldn't look past the pain and helplessness in his ice blue eyes. Snapping the folder shut she shoved it under her shirt and put on her best poker face, trying to cross her arms over the square bulge non-chalantly.  
"Sam," he looked up briefly at his name with a distracted 'hmmm". "I'm going to head back up to the cars, I'm feeling a little sick, from the meds." she lied. He nodded, not giving her a second glance before he turned back to Simmons who never even glanced her direction, too focused of the symbols Sam had been drawing.  
She quickly retreated back up stairs, doing her best not to glance at the hanging pigs as she exited the freezer. Mikaela had just entered the store once again, a large metal box in her arms that emitted a loud banging noise. She gave Bianca a worried glance and paused as the younger girl entered the store.  
"Everything alright, Bia?" she asked, eyeing her up and down. Bia nodded, hugging the folder against her chest tighter.  
"Yeah, the meds are just making me feel a little sick. I am going to go lay down."  
"Do you want some company?"  
"NO!" Mikaela recoiled at her outburst and Bianca cleared her throat, trying to reign in her emotion. "Sorry, I didn't mean to yell. I just really need a little quiet for a moment, this is all just so much to handle."she reasoned that it wasn't a total lie, which she hoped made it more believable.  
"Ok," Mikaela trailed off, unsure. "If you need anything let me know." Bianca gave the older girl a grateful smile and shuffled out of the store, feeling the brunettes eyes on her the entire way.  
She strode straight to Bee's drivers side door and yanked it open, sliding in before shutting it behind her. She gripped the folder so tight it caused an ache to begin to throb painfully in her side, but she ignored it.  
"Give us a call and tell us what your story is!" His radio chimed in a loud talk-show voice. She gritted her teeth and pulled the folder out from under her shirt, scattering the pictures and notes across his dashboard, hoping that he could see them.  
"Why are you still helping us with how you have been treated?" He didn't answer so she pressed on "These pictures are horrible, they hurt you and used you as a lab rat, and your still protecting us. You barely even know me, why are you putting yourself in harms way for us?"She asked.  
Bumblebee took some time to respond, deciding the best way to approach her question. Did he tell her that he felt partly responsible for her parents deaths? After she had come to live with the Witwickey's Bumblebee had looked up all the reports on her family's accident, and the more he read the more he believed it was no accident. From Bianca's claim that she had seen a police car at the scene long before any first responders had arrived, as well as the pictures of the wrecked vehicle Bumblebee had come to the conclusion that it had been a disgruntled barricade who had caused the wreck. Taking another look at her upset and angry face he decided that that was a conversation for another time. He didn't need to put his guilt onto her, he feared she wasn't strong enough for the truth yet. With a sigh he searched for the words to explain to her the half truth.  
"They're a young species. They have much to learn, but I have seen goodness in them. Freedom is the right of all sentient beings." Bianca recognized the voice that came from his speakers as that of the fallen Autobot leader, Optimus Prime. She frowned picking up one of the pictures of the capture Autobot and frowned.  
"But that still doesn't make up what they did, what WE did to you. It's not fair.  
"Life ain't fair...that's the way the cookie crumbles." She couldn't help but smiling at the very human saying.  
"I guess that's why you're the advanced species, I wouldn't be so forgiving."  
"To error is human, to forgive is divine" she shook her head and rolled her eyes, about to call him out on his suddenly over cocky attitude when a small chime caught their attention. Seeing Sam and party exit the deli Bia quickly scooped up the contents of the file and shoved it into one of the seat back pockets, and went to exit the car but Bee's locks shot down and a seat belt encircled her waist. She looked down startled and the radio flicked on.  
"You belong with me," Taylor swift sang and she chuckled and shook her head at the bots antics. Rolling down the window she poked her head out.  
"Sorry Sam, but I don't think I'm moving cars" Bee's engine rumbled in agreement and Sam rolled his eyes at his best friends sudden possessiveness.  
"Fine, Leo and Simmons, your with the twins. Mikaela-" she cut him off.  
"I'll ride with them," she sent Sam a look and he rolled his eyes with an 'I know' Bia rolled the window up as Sam strode around to the passenger side, strapping himself in.  
The caravan took off and the three settled into an uncomfortable silence, and Bia couldn't help but notice as Sam continued to fidget in his seat. Giving in she turned to him raising a brow.  
"What is it Sam?" she asked and he ran a hand through his hair nervously.  
"Well, I just...with everything going on, you haven't had much time to...what I mean is... how are you, emotionally?" he finished lamely looking at the girl who returned her gaze to the steering wheel and began to absentmindedly trace the insignia that sat at the center. She took her time formulating an answer to the question.  
"I haven't had much time to think about it." She began softly "to be honest I have not been thinking about it at all since this all started, if I did, I think I would be going crazy right now. If I'm not already" she finished and she was telling the truth. There was a part of her, the more logical part, that reasoned that none of this was possible, and that after the accident she had snapped and now sat hooked up to a bunch of machines, drugged out of her mind. Hence the dreams of giant alien robots and obscure adventures.  
"Look your not crazy, trust me. I've been there, it's a lot to take in. Giant alien robots, I get it." He smiled across the car at her. She smiled back.  
"Thanks Sam." The engine revved loudly and she laughed patting the dashboard. "You too Bee" she smiled fondly at the car who purred loudly. Sam shook his head.

"I'd swear my car had a crush on you" she looked to him with raised eyebrows.  
"Is that even possible? Were different species Sam" she commented dryly. Bumblebee chirped indignantly and she smiled at his dash. "I think your embarrassing him Sam" she teased.  
"He intervened with my love life, Karma" he shrugged and a gargle of angry static filled the car before a voice sounded.  
"And look where it got you Sam!" a gentle wheezing followed and Sam frowned.  
"Bee I was kidding, take it easy on your voice. No need to get up in arms" Bia frowned  
"whats wrong with his voice?" It didn't really click until this moment in time that it was odd that he didn't speak normally. The whole scenario had been so odd that she just assumed it was a quirk of his.  
"He was injured in battle and it was damaged. Which is why he uses the radio to talk instead of his voice like the rest of the 'bots" Sam explained, frowning at the dash.  
"Oh, that's terrible" she cooed running a hand over the steering wheel. "Can't they fix it?" she asked.  
"Ratchet is still working on it." He watched amused as his cousin leaned forward and laid a gentle kiss on the steering wheel. She caught his gaze and blushed.  
"What? It's sad." She stated crossing her arms and leaning back in her seat, averting her gaze. "Didn't your mother ever kiss your owies?" she accused sticking her nose up in the air and Sam just laughed with a shake of his head.  
"You know, now that your actually talking again I see you really haven't changed" he commented. She cocked her head to the side and raised an eyebrow in question. "I mean you used to try and save the dandelions when our parents would mow the lawn, saying that they were flowers too. Such a softy." He ruffled her hair like he had done so many times before when they were younger. She let him have his fun and smiled at him.  
"I was so mad when I was told we wouldn't be visiting anymore. I told dad that I would never talk to him again" she shook her head, her smile softening, eyes looking distant. "That only lasted a few minutes. He bribed me with waffles" Sam laughed out loud and she grinned at him.  
The trio fell back into silence, albeit this time it was a comfortable one.  
"I'm glad your back Bia." He said softly.

Feedback is always awesome!


	8. Chapter 8

**A more timely update this time, aiming to start updating every Tuesday since that is my day off. I reread Payphone the other night, and let me just say I am super excited to get around to revamping that one! Even though it is technically the sequel it is the fic that started it all! I just had to rewind a little to make it work.**  
 **Also, I have been toying with the idea of adding a brand new installment in after Payphone. As I continue to flesh out idea's I will keep you lovely people in the loop and see if it is something you are interested in.**  
 **Enjoy, Reviews are love.**

"I still don't understand why we're at a museum," Bia complained, slamming Bumblebee's door a little too hard. The bot chirped loudly in response, causing her to flinch. "Sorry Bee" she mumbled, rubbing the top of the door frame gently. It was still a learning curve for her to remember that the vehicle before her was a living, feeling being. Stepping away she groaned at the soreness of her limbs; the last two days she had spent more time in a car than she had in the last two months combined. Lacing her fingers together she went to lift her arms above her head in an attempt to stretch, but was stopped halfway through the motion by the sharp jab of pain that accompanied the movement. She grunted, dropping her hands back to her side and dug into her pocket to pull out the bottle of pain medication. Popping the lid off she shook one into her palm and took a deep breath before tossing the pill back, dry swallowing it with a grimace.  
"I told you, we need to find someone who can read the symbols I've been drawing. Simmons traced the closest one who can do that here. Don't you listen at all?" Sam complained, copying the stretching motion and groaning when a soft pop came from shoulder.  
"Well you talk to much, I do my best to filter Sammy but sometimes things slip through the cracks." She replied with nonchalance before looking at the museum again with a raised brow. "Why can't Bee or the twins just read it?" Sam ran a hand through his hair in exasperation at his cousins question's.  
"I swear, how did you get past the first grade with listening skills this bad?" He exclaimed, causing Bia to pout and cross her arms.  
"No need to be mean,"she muttered. Mikaela laughed at the two as she walked over.  
"The symbols Sam's been drawing are an old form of cybertronian, much older than Bee or the twins, so we have to find someone just as old to read it." She explained.  
"So then, what next? Do you just waltz in there and start talking to inanimate objects hoping one talks back?" Bia asked half sarcastically, but with the way things were going today she half expected that to be the plan.  
"Geez, kids these days, T.V. has fried their brains." Simmons muttered coming to stand in the small circle that was beginning to form. "Listen close kiddos."  
After Simmons had explained the plan the group agreed, albeit none were overly confident, but it was all they had to go on.  
"Great lets go, the museum closes in an hour." Sam moved to head towards the large building when Bia stopped him.  
"Wait, not to point out he obvious or anything but I doubt they are going to let me in." Before anyone could ask why she pointed to her bare feet, and ratty shirt. "No shirt, no shoes, no service." she explained.  
"Not a problem, wait here." Simmons strode towards the entrance, purchasing a ticket and disappearing inside.  
"What is he doing?" Mikaela asked, taking a step after him before pausing.  
"Beats me, guess we just have to trust him." Sam said with a shrug, moving to lean against Bumblebee. Mikaela scoffed, crossing her arms and joining him.  
"Never thought I would hear you saying that." Sam grinned at his girlfriend, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. Bianca didn't miss the tension in the gesture, the way they stood statically against one another, but didn't feel it was her place to question it. A moment later Simmons returned, thrusting a bag into Bia's arms. Looking down she opened it to see a pair of flip-flops with the Museums logo on it, and a matching white shirt.  
"Hurry up and get changed, times a tickin," Bianca quickly yanked the flip flops from the wooden hanger,throwing them on her feet before pausing and turning to face the three men of the group.  
"Turn around," she commanded, and with some argument the men turned around. Making sure they didn't peek, (namely Leo, who seemed most disgruntled about the arrangement) and quickly shed her old, tattered shirt and dawned the new one. "Alright, all set."  
"Finally, can we get this show on the road now?" Simmons asked, to which the group complied.

"I can't believe this is actually working" Bia scoffed as she climbed down from her perch in the plane that sat on display, her feet had now acquired a pair of mid-calf dark brown leather boots and a forest green pair of pants that clung to her hips, compliments of the mannequin that had kept her company in the cock pit for the last 4 hours. Her grimy shirt had been traded for a small white V-neck shirt with the museum logo on the left breast from the gift shop that, while a little low cut was much better than the torn up clothing she previously wore.  
Simmons plan had been simple enough, go in during business hours, hide out till it closes, then take out the only security officer on duty. At First Bia had been doubtful that there would be such lax security but it appeared Simmons knew what he was talking about when she saw Mikaela and Sam jogging towards her. Simmons followed after them, dragging a gasping Leo behind him.  
"what happened to him?" Sam asked, slightly amused at the boy who was obviously in pain.  
"Idiot boy over here tasered himself." Simmons scoffed, not finding the situation as humorous as Sam.  
"Awww, are you ok?" Bia cooed bending down to be at eye level with the boy.  
"Aye mami, am I in heaven?" He asked breathless staring up at the supple cleavage that he didn't remember being there before. Bianca rocked back on her heels with a raised brow at his advances.  
"Hey man not cool, that's my cousin" Sam snapped, smacking the back of Leo's head causing the ogling boy to look away, though still grinning.  
"Maybe you should hit him again, just for good measure," Bianca muttered while popping her hip out at the perverts antics.  
"Alright children, play time is over, we got work to do!" Simmons broke up the group and pulled out a small box with a satellite dish attached to one end.  
"What's that?" Bia asked looking at the small mechanical device with a raised brow as it began to beep slowly, speeding up as Simmons swung it around.  
"This is an energon reader, those bot's of yours put off an energy source, this baby detects it. So all we gotta do is follow the beeps and bingo!" They now stood in front of a large plane that looked like it would fall apart at any moment. Bia stared up at the aircraft repeating her stance from before, hip popped and arms crossed.  
"Now what?" she asked with a hint of sarcasm, but overly all curious. She jumped as the small robot that Mikaela had been dragging around with her began muttering and nearly tripped her as he pushed between her legs to get to the front of the group.  
"Use the cube shard!" he commanded. Sam complied, pulling out a small piece of debris, Bia shivered as a tingle went down her spine. The fragment was yanked out of his hands suddenly as he held it towards the ship and a large burst of energy surged over the aircraft. Bia only had a chance to hear Mikaela scream 'Decepticon' before Sam was yanking her back and away from the awakening robot.  
She screamed as a car was kicked and sent flying over her head, crashing into one of the hanging planes. Sam pushed her down behind another old car with a hurried 'stay down' and ran after the huge bot that had to be at least 3 times Bumblebees size. Bia stared in awe and slowly got up from her spot, ignoring Sam's instruction as the 'mech stomped around the building, spluttering nonsense about some mission before barging through the hanger door.  
She hesitated for a moment before jogging after the group who were running after the out of sorts decepticon, whom was still yelling and fumbling around like a newborn infant. The screeching of tires caught her attention and she couldnt help the round of sneezes that barraged her, as the cloud of dust that Bumblebee kicked up tickled her sensitive allergies.  
"Bee, knock it off!"She cried, waving a hand wildly in front of her face to try and clear the dust from the air, all the while violent sneeze's wracked her frame. Tears sprang to her eyes as the ache in her side intensified at the forced exhalation of her lungs. When the dust finally cleared enough for her to take a breath without sending her nose twitching she was leaning against the yellow Camaro, gasping for air with her arms wrapped tightly around her midsection to try and quell the pain that now racked her body. Hot tears dripped down her cheeks, and it was all she could do to try and take slow shallow breaths so as not to irritate her broken ribs further.  
After a time the pain died down back to a dull ache, and Bia found that the rest of the group were still preoccupied with trying to talk down the disoriented decepticon. Relief washed over her, glad that she wouldn't have to deal with any further arguments about her condition.  
"Hey Annie are you ok? You ok? Are you ok Annie?" Bee's radio sang. She nodded, carefully standing up from her leaning position.  
"Just don't make me sneeze again please" She muttered, trying to sniffle away the remaining tickles of dust in her nose.  
" I'm sorry, so sorry, that I was such a fooool" She smiled at the Camaro, patting the hood gently. Taking a couple cautious steps towards the group she winced, but continued on anyways, ignoring the pain.  
"I forgive you. Now let me pay attention! I don't want Sam making fun of me again for not knowing whats going on." She joked, turning towards her comrades who were talking to the newly established Jet Fire, who claimed to have switched sides.  
"I want to change sides too, I'm with the warrior goddess." Wheelie cooed, all the while humping Mikaela's leg.  
"What are you let happening to your foot?" Sam accused, disgust clear on his face as Mikaela cooed down at the sexually frustrated robot.  
"At least he's faithful Sam" She shot back.  
"I didn't even let my dog do that!" Bia offered from her position, once again leaning against Bumblebee for support. She rolled her eyes and flipped the bird to which Bia acted very appalled and stuck her tongue out in response. For once Sam was the one to get the conversation back on track, as he began drawing the symbols he had been seeing in the dusty air field. Jetfire instantly grew excited as he peered down at the symbols.  
"I remember now, my mission!" It was hard for Bia to follow the rest of his musings as he began pacing and talking at an accelerate rate, as he got more and more excited. Sam seemed to be on the same page however, or at least able to keep up with the excited robot seeing as they both were fluent in gibberish.  
"Wait a minute, dagger's tip What are you talking about?" He asked stepping forward but received to response.  
"No time to explain, now hold on an stay still, or you may die!" He cautioned. Electricity licked at Bia's skin and her hair stood on end as a light engulfed the group, momentarily blinding her. Then she was falling once again, heights were going to be the death of her.


	9. Chapter 9

**Boom, updated before Tuesday. Had some down time at work with no show clients so I typed this up instead of case reports. Adulting for the win! Feedback is love! Also note the new title!  
Disclaimer: I own nothing other than the stack of unfinished case reports on my desk.**

Her stomach dropped as she cascaded through the air, bright light blinding her momentarily. She didn't even realize she was screaming until she hit the ground, sucking in a mouth full of hot sand she spluttered, before summer salting down the dune.  
Coming to a stop at the base of the sandy hill Bia gasped for air between short, agonized screams. The pain that now tore through her body was like nothing she had felt up to this point. Her body spasmed in pain, tears cascading down her cheeks as she writhed in agony in the hot sand.  
"Bia!" She attempted to look for the person who belonged to the voice, but with another overwhelming wave of pain her vision began to blur, black spots creeping into the edges of her sight. She was still screaming, short strangled cry's interlaced with gasping breaths. The world above her swam in an array of colors, and roaring filled her ears.  
"Is that blood? Of my god, what do we do?" Sam yelled, cradling his injured wrist to his chest, while staring down at the writhing girl beneath him. Her eyes had rolled into the back of the head, and her screaming never stopped, setting everyone on edge. With every wheezing cry small flecks of red would burst from her mouth, spotting her white shirt with crimson.  
"It's most likely a Pnuemothorax, we need to get her to stop moving around or she could make it worse!" Simmons answered Sam's question, quickly passing the frantic boy and kneeling next to Bianca.  
"A pnuemothora-what?" Sam cried, moving closer to the injured girl. His wrist throbbed painfully against his chest, but the pain was quickly pushed to the back of his mind.  
"A pnuemothorax, it's a punctured lung. Alright kid, I need you to stop moving around!" Simmons tried reasoning, but Bianca couldn't hear him. The roaring in her ears had increased, drowning out their entire conversation. Every movement set her nerves on fire, yet she couldn't stop squirming. It was as if her body was attempting to run away from the pain to no avail. "I tried to be nice, but we don't have time for this. Leo, get over here. You too!" Simmons motioned to Mikaela, ignoring Sam who was useless with his injured arm. The two teens bent down on the opposite side of the thrashing girl. "Leo, you take hold of her legs, Mikaela her waist. I'll get her shoulders, do not put any pressure on her chest, got it?" The two nodded getting ready to immobilize the younger girl. "Government training finally came in handy for something," Simmons muttered softly to himself. "Alright, on my count 1, 2, 3!" And with that they pounced on the girl.  
Leo shrieked after a miscalculation led to a knee to the face. A trickle of blood ran from his now busted lip.  
"Hey, idiot boy, I said hold her!" Simmons barked at Leo, who was now cradling his face in his hands.  
"She just kicked me in the face!" He retorted, still nursing his swelling lip.  
"I'm going to do a lot worse if you don't shut your mouth and hold on to her legs!" Leo pouted, but followed instructions none the less, this time his grip much firmer so as not to receive another shot to the face.  
"We need her to calm down, at this rate she is going tear her lung wide open!"  
"Bia, can you hear me? You need to stop moving, I know it hurt's but you're only making it worse!" Mikaela begged, but the girl beneath her still continued to thrash beneath their grips.  
Her mind was a hazy mess of overstimulated senses and pain, that bordered unconsciousness. She could hear the voices, but none of the words made any sense. It was like she was trapped in a giant fish bowl, distorting both her vision and hearing into something completely unrecognizable. Every time she began to gain control of her consciousness another wave of pain would crash over her, sending her spiraling back towards the black void. She had half a mind to let herself be dragged into the darkness that laced the edges of her vision, maybe then the pain would stop.  
Just as she was about to give in to darkness she felt a shift. A numbing sensation that cooled the fire coursing through her entire being. Tentacles of ice reached out, stemming from her injured side that pushed back at the waves of pain clouding her mind. Slowly, she was able to surface from the fish bowl, the distorted faces now discernible as that of her companions. Concern laced everyone's brow. The freezing continued and the roar of her ears dulled into a quiet ringing, she let out a breath of relief. Mikaela's mouth was moving and as the ringing continued to subside she was slowly able to make out the words.  
"B…an….Bia…Can you...Bia?" Bianca groaned in response, as the last time Mikaela called her name she was was practically screaming in her ear.  
"Yes, I can hear you." Her voice was hoarse, she didn't remember when she stopped screaming. Every breath she took felt like it was taken underwater, and an uncomfortable weight sat on her chest, but at least the pain had turned into a numb ache. Carefully looking down she found the source of the numbing;one of Bumblebee's fingers rested gently against her side. Now that the ringing had completely faded she could hear the small whir of his fans, humming from somewhere inside his armor.  
" **Ice the area...slow the swelling...pump coolant through the pipes...and now you have your very own ice pack!"** The infomercial that ended his explanation was followed by a small smile from the bot, whose eyes stared down at her in concern.  
"Thank you," Bia whispered before closing her eyes, relishing the feeling of his cool finger against her skin. _**  
**__"_ Bia, stay with us! BIA!" Her eyes shot open to glare at Sam who now stood to her left hovering over Mikaela, looking as if he were about to have a hernia. "Mom and dad will kill me if I-"  
"Sam!" Bia snapped, her voice still shaky and small. He paused his ravings and leaned in closer so she didn't have to speak as loud. "I'm fine, just tired. Now will you please be quiet?" She whined. Looking around she noticed Leo clasping a hand to his mouth, and glaring back at her with a venomous stare. "What happened to you?" She asked with an arched brow. He let out an aggravated snarl and went to say something before receiving a glare from Mikaela. Rethinking his plan he instead shook his head, stalking off and muttering to himself angrily. She then noticed that Simmons and Mikaela were still carefully holding her down.  
"You two can let go now. I'm good, I'm not going anywhere." Mikaela hesitated longer than Simmons who instantly removed his grasp, but let her go none the less.  
"We need to get her to a hospital." Mikaela stated as she rose to her feet, brushing off her sandy knees. Her normally tanned faced had visibly paled, and the small red flecks of blood that dotted her chin and shirt were a startling indicator that her condition was worsening.  
"Don't you think I know that?If you didn't notice were in the middle of the dessert, so unless you see a hospital I don't were just shit out of luck!"

"Don't snap at me Sam! I'm just saying, look at her!"  
"The girls right, pnuemothorax is something you don't take lightly. Her lung could collapse at any moment, and I don't exactly have the tools to place an emergency chest tube!" Simmons piped in causing Sam to become more exasperated.  
Bianca was phasing in and out of the conversation, Bumblebee's finger stayed against her side but he had tuned into the argument, worry evident on his face. Everyone was so busy arguing that they didn't notice the blue creeping onto her lips, or the way her breath continued to decrease.  
"Bee," she wheezed, eyes fluttering shut as her lungs struggled to expand and she fell into unconsciousness.

" _Sam,help me save them!" A young Bianca cried, arms full of dandelions that she had 'saved' from the lawn mower that was being pushed by a chuckling Uncle Ron.  
"They're just weeds Bia," Sam scolded from his perch on the porch. She jutted her lip out in response, crossing her arms and popping her hip out, just like she had seen her mother do whenever her father crossed her.  
"Nuh uh! They're flowers too!" With that she was bent over, attempting to pluck up all the dandelions she could before Ron reached her. It was a comical sight really, every time she put a new one in her stash, another would fall out, which had her running in circles.  
"Bia, what are you doing?"Her mother cried stepping out onto the porch, partly in amusement, partly in worry that her only child would get in the way of the mower that was slowly making it's way towards her._  
 _"Mommy!" She cried, running to her mother who stood next to Sam, whose attention was squarely focused on the small red Gameboy in his grasp. "I was saving the flowers! Sam said they were just weeds but they're so pretty, see!" Sam rolled his eyes but didn't bother looking up from his game.  
"_ _Ay_ _que_ _bonita_ _, come inside_ _Mijita_ _and we will put them in a vase for your Tia Judy." Bia beamed up at her mother and walked inside to arrange the flowers._

" _Grandfather was crazy Ron, why do you insist on defending him? He was a crazy old coot who left his family to pursue aliens!"  
"He was a great man Jim! You are just so caught up in your damn self that you can't see that!" Ron argued, face red.  
Bianca sat off to the side, sniffling in the arms of Sam who held her tightly. The two had just been playing a game of 'explorer', and one thing led to another.  
"You're just as crazy as him! Do you actually believe anything he said? Giant metal aliens? It's all crap and I wont have you filling my daughters head with such nonsense!" Jim roared, prodding his brothers chest angrily.  
"Jim," Belen tried softly to calm her husbands rage, but he was too far gone.  
"No, enough is enough. We're leaving!" That caught Bia's attention.  
"But daddy!" she cried out, warm tears falling down her cheeks.  
"Go pack your stuff Bia, you too Belen!"  
"Now Jim, don't be hasty. The kids were just playing, and look at how upset poor Bia is. Let's just take a second to calm down," Judy pleaded taking the crying child from Sam who looked as if he were about to burst into tears himself.  
"No, I will not have this Damn Witwicky curse plague my child. First Grandfather, then dad, now you Ron. It ends here!" With that Jim spun around on his heel, storming angrily from the room.  
"Good, get out of my house you traitor!" Ron yelled.  
"Ron!" Judy snapped, pressing her hands over Bianca's ears as the young girl continued to wail. Her husband threw his hands up in the air, storming out into the back yard.  
Once the men had left Belen quickly began to apologize profusely for her husbands behavior, but Judy would have none of it.  
"Oh you know how men are, especially Witwicky men. Stubborn and pig headed!" At the last part she had raised her voice, cocking her head back so that words could carry after her husband, though he gave no indication that he heard her. "Sam take Bia upstairs and help her get her stuff together." Judy set the girl down, whose hand was quickly snatched up by Sam, who pulled her up the stairs. Judy turned, wrapping an arm around a frazzled Belen, guiding her to the guest room while trying to calm the woman's nerves._ _  
"Sam, I don't wanna g-g-go!" Bia cried as her cousin piled her clothing into the pink, Hello kitty suitcase she had brought. She sat on the small cot that was her bed whenever she visited her family.  
"It's OK Bia, you'll be back soon. You always come over for Thanksgiving, that's not too far away," Sam did his best to comfort the girl.  
"B-but what if daddy stay's mad, a-and I-I never see y-you again!" She was in hysterics, blubbering loudly and wiping her running nose repeatedly on her forearm, which only served to smear her entire face with a mixture of tears and mucous. Being the gentle soul she was, Bianca never handled disagreement well. She hated it when her parents argued, and they never screamed at each other they way her father and Uncle just had. Sam paused his actions, grabbing a tissue from his bedside table and bending down in front of the smaller girl. He wiped her face just like his mother did for him when he was upset.  
"Don't worry Bia, siblings fight. That's what mom says. They just need to take a timeout from each other and everything will be OK. Come here," Sam pulled his cousin into a hug. "We'll see each other again."  
"Promise?" Bia asked, sniffling into his chest.  
"Promise."_

But they hadn't come back. Her dad never forgave Uncle Ron or any of the men in his family. Sometimes Bia would catch the tail end of an argument between her parents, her father always irate and claiming that his father had wasted his time and practically deserted his family trying to prove his grandfather sane. He claimed it was the Witwicky curse, and her mother would softly reassure him, saying that a curse only had as much power as you gave it.  
Years passed, in the beginning Bia and Sam wrote each other letters diligently. However as they grew up, they grew apart. First it was one letter a week, then once a month, then one email near the holidays, until there was nothing at all.

"Bia, Bia wake up,"She stirred softly, groaning at the dull ache in her side. "Try not to move too much, you collapsed and Simmons had to perform uh, an emergency something or other." She could hear the fear in his voice and her eyes peeled open. Simmons was on her right, focused on her rib cage, and she noticed that Bumblebee had moved from her side, but still hovered as close as possible. Mikaela was on her other side, tears in her eyes.  
Doing her best to look down she nearly lost it. Half her shirt had been cut away, and a slim plastic tube stuck out between her ribs.  
"What the hell is that?"She whispered, unable to take her eyes off the sight.  
"The puncture to your lung was more severe than I hoped. Your lung couldn't expand properly so I had to drain the excess air around it."  
"You stuck a tube in me!" She cried softly, hands itching to reach up and yank it out but knowing better.  
"I saved your life! A little thanks is in order." Simmons huffed, standing up and stepping away. "Thank Radiohead over here too, he provided the tube and found the video that walked me through it." She muttered a small thanks, eyes flickering to Bumblebee who continued to leer over her like a worried mother hen. Bianca swallowed hard, closing her eyes and letting her head fall back to the sand beneath her. She searched for something to take her mind off of the fact that there was a piece of plastic sticking out of her. The memories that had flashed through her mind moments ago came rushing back and she opened her eyes, looking to a concerned Sam and giving him a small smile.  
"You were right you know," She mumbled, and confusion crossed his face.  
"Right about what?" he asked, and Bia's smile broadened.  
"You said we would see each other again remember, after our dad's fight. You promised, and you kept it." Sam looked at her, first in disbelief before he shook his head, smile matching hers. In that moment she was 5 years old again, with dandelions clutched to her chest.  
"I guess I did."


	10. Chapter 10

**Tuesday update as promised. They just opened a new coffee shop down the street that serves crepes, so I plan to spend many of my days off here writing, and stuffing my face with crepes!  
Side note, NaNoWriMo is coming up, for those of you unfamiliar with this it is National novel writing month. I participate every year and I am hoping this year I can hit the 50,000 word benchmark. I am going to try and finish up all the rewrites of this before that happens and continue to post them every Tuesday through November. However, I have been doing a lot of rewrites to later chapters so it's anybody's guess if I will finish before Novemeber, so there may be a small slight hiatus if that happens.  
If anyone is interested I will be posting my NaNoWriMo and if you PM me I will be happy to send you the link to read it once I start.  
Disclaimer: I am not a nurse, doctor etc. I am a massage therapist working towards becoming a Rad Tech, so all my medical knowledge comes from the internet and text books! I do not own Transformers, all I own in this lovely crepe.**

"Bumblebee, could you even it out please," Bia whimpered from her spot sandwiched in between Mikaela and Leo, in the back of Bumblebee's alt. Mode. Following her near death experience Sam refused to allow Bia to ride alone, Simmons needed to ride with Sam to discuss what was next in their plan, Mikaela wasn't one to be left out of the planning committee, and Leo just didn't want to be odd man out. So they all crammed into Bee's interior, and Bianca found herself, for once, wishing that he had chosen a more economical alt. Mode.  
Bianca had to scold Leo more than once for trying to cop a feel. Each time he claimed that he was just trying to adjust his seat belt, eventually Bee just tightened the belt to the point of being overkill. Leo protested, but Bumblebee would not let up.  
" **Keep your hands to yourself bud!"** The Bot scolded, and Leo crossed his arms in a pout, occasionally tugging at the too tight belt to no avail. No longer worrying about being felt up Bianca did her best to shift as much weight off her injuries as possible. Simmons had removed the tube with some reserve, afraid that her lung's wouldn't be able to expand properly again. So far her breathing had held steady, painful, but steady none the less. They had tied the ruined bottom half of her shirt around her mid section to close off the hole for the time being. Giving up on her fidgeting Bianca tuned into Sam's and Simmon's conversation. Since they had piled into Bumblebee they had been deep in discussion about where the daggers tip could be.  
They were just beginning to hash out a new idea when Sirens caught everyone's attention.  
"They're looking for you here too?" Bia cried in disdain, catching sight of flashing lights in Bumblebee's rear view mirror.  
"We have to get off the road!" Simmons ordered. Bee obliged, quickly maneuvering onto a side road that led the group into a small village. They wound through the buildings before pulling off into a small alleyway. The humans quickly scrambled out, Bia needing to lean heavily on Mikaela as she exited the vehicle, wincing all the way. Once everyone was safely out of the way Bumblebee transformed, scooping Bianca up and leaping onto the side of a small building.  
"Bee, put me down," she scolded from her position in his hand, fingers curled up to create a barrier meant to keep her from falling. He shook his head.  
" **Not safe...injuries too great...can't run...danger lurks around every corner.** " she puffed out her cheeks, a blush coloring her face. He whirred in worry, face leaning in to inspect her now red cheeks. " **Hey Annie you OK?** " She shook her head, blush deepening.  
"I'm fine Bee," she mumbled looking away. When she looked back she nearly jumped out of her skin at the close proximity of his face. "Bee," her voice came out as a whisper.

" **Nothings gunna harm you, not while I'm around,** " The familiar soundtrack of Sweeny Todd played through his speakers. She smiled up at him, nodding. The sirens caught their attention then, and Bia crouched down, peeking through the cracks of Bee's fingers. Two cop cars sped past, clearly not noticing the group hidden down the dank alley. She let out a breath that she didn't even realize she was holding, and jumped when she felt Bumblebee shift beneath her, before dropping back to they ground.  
With the immediate threat past the group reconvened, Bia keeping her perch on Bee's palm. Sam and Simmons were already deep in debate about something they kept calling nest.  
"What does a nest have to do with anything?" She asked looking up at Bee, who let out an amused chuckle while shaking his head.  
" **A classified strike team called N.E.S.T. We hunt for what remains of our Decepticon foes, hiding in different countries around the globe.** " A voice boomed through his speakers. Bia let out an 'ah' and turned back to watch the arguing men.  
"You'll call," Sam stated very matter of factually catching Simmons off guard. Simmons didn't appear to be too enthused by the news, but went along with Sam's plan anyways. Noticing that everyone else was moving into action Bia motioned for Bee to put her down. He obliged, albeit unwillingly.  
He had grown quite fond of the female human, and she seemed to have a knack for getting into trouble just like her cousin.  
"Woah, woah, woah. Where do you think you're going?" Sam cried in exasperation throwing his hands up in a 'halt' gesture. Bianca did her best to put on her game face, carefully crossing her arms around her midsection and doing her best to pop her hip. The action didn't come across as strong as she wanted.  
"With you guys, to help." she stated, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. She glared up at him, daring him to tell her otherwise, which he did.  
"Oh no, you're staying here. I don't know if you've noticed, but you have broken ribs, a punctured lung, and were coughing up blood just a couple hours ago. I know you're listening skills suck so let me repeat that one more time, you're staying here. Bee!" Bianca moved to slug her cousin in the shoulder, but missed as Bumblebee gleefully scooped the girl back up, glad that she was once again under his protection.  
"Hey,ugh, Bee let me go!"She shrieked, pounding on his enclosed fingers, but quickly backed down with a groan as a stab of pain hit her chest and midsection.  
"Try not to let her her hurt herself anymore than she already is Bee." Bumblebee saluted with his free hand as Sam turned and jogged after the others. Once Sam was out of view Bumblebee's optics turned to look down at the pouting female in his hand. He couldn't help the smile that formed as he looked down on her.  
Her brown hair, once slicked back into a tight ponytail, had fallen to the nape of her neck with haphazard strands sticking out in all directions. A smudge of dirt sat right below her left eye, which was glaring daggers at his hand. Even with the fierce look on her face his spark softened for the girl who sat in his palm.  
"What are you looking at?" she sneered, and Bee was broken from his thoughts as angry brown orbs turned to focus in on his face. He was taken aback by the bite in her voice, and he whined softly. Her eyes instantly softened, and she frowned guilty at the harshness in her tone. "Sorry Bee, I didn't mean it." He looked away frowning, hurt at the sudden hostility she had sent his way. "Come on Bee, I'm sorry." She was standing now, hugging his thumb.  
"I didn't mean it, really. I'm frustrated, I just want to help. Ever since all this started all I seem to do is get in the way, or hurt." Bumblebee looked down at his companion to find her staring dejectedly down at his palm. Gently he straightened the appendage that she still clung to, bringing her gaze up to his. "Sam and everyone have been so brave, and I've just been a damsel in distress, un problema." She admitted, eyes turning from stubborn and angry, to upset and ashamed. Bumblebee liked the way the foreign words rolled off her tongue at the end, and he cataloged it away in his processors.  
He understood how she felt, many times throughout the length of the war Optimus and the other Autobots had to save his aft, thoroughly succeeding in making Bumblebee feel useless and like a child.  
" **You are very brave...so small...faced with such big problems**." she frowned up at him.  
"Brave? I haven't done anything except continuously slow every down." He shook his head.  
" **B..ah..you didn't run...Lift your hands high and wave 'em proud** " she scoffed, shaking her head.  
"I didn't have much of a choice," she muttered. He lowered his face to be level with hers and smiled softly at her.  
"You always have a choice Bia," he paused to let out a small cough. At the use of his own voice she found herself much more attentive than before, hanging onto every word he said. "It's hard right now, but soon you will have your chance to prove yourself. Even though there is nothing to prove." Another round of coughing interrupted his speech.  
"Bee stop, you're hurting yourself." She pleaded, reaching out and placing a gentle hand upon his cheek. He leaned into her touch, spark jittery and warm. This Witwicky was having the strangest effect on him. She smiled up at him, the hand against his face seemed to radiate a warmth through her entire body. "Thanks for trying Bee but," he frowned as her smile turned sour. "I don't think I'll be proving anything." He whirred softly, but wasn't able to retort as their human companions came running back, the sound of sirens bouncing off the cobblestone alley ways.  
"Bee, let's go!" Sam called, and the bot nodded. His pep session with Bianca would have to wait. He deposited the girl as carefully, and quickly as he could before transforming into his Alt. Mode, the twins following suit.  
Bianca reached for his door before hesitating, casting a long glance over her shoulder in the direction of the sirens, which were growing louder. She debated a moment longer before turning away and striding over to Mudflap, hoping into the drivers seat.  
"I'm gunna go with her, you know incase anything happens and she needs a man around. To protect her, and stuff." Leo stammered, puffing out his chest and following after the distressed girl.  
Sam rolled his eyes, but didn't protest as time was of the essence. The other two humans also slid into Bumblebee's interior and the Bot slammed his doors shut behind them, temperature rising. That slagging human couldn't protect Bia like he could, Bee scoffed and sped faster through the sandy streets, the sirens quickly falling behind.  
Why would Bia ride with Mudflap anyways, he told her the HE would protect her and she confided in HIM. His spark, once warm and fluttering in his chasis was now dull and and heavy.

Bianca ignored Leo from her spot leaning against Mudflaps door. Her mouth turned down in a large frown as she watched the Camaro infront of them race through the streets. She had wanted to go with him, to let him follow through on his promise to protect her but she didn't trust the fluttering of her heart just moments ago. She half hoped that it was a side effect of her bashed up rib cage


	11. Chapter 11

**Update on Tuesday as promised. I came down with something so my computer's backlight is killing my head, so hopefully I didn't miss any major mistake's when proofing this chapter. If I did please let me know so I can fix them!  
As with the original I am still not completely sold on this chapter so for all you know I may redo it this week, but here it is none the less.  
I own nothing other than this lovely pack of antibiotics. **

The oceans of stars that dotted the inky blackness above served as a good distraction, as Bianca sat in her spot against the ramshackle building. She had never seen so many twinkling lights before, even on the clearest of nights back home it didn't come close to what lay in front of her now. Her body was exhausted, but her mind was running a million miles a minute. The steady ache from her side didn't help either.  
She could hear the soft murmur of Sam and Mikaela a few feet from where she sat, and the snores of Leo and Simmons down the way. Giving her neck a rest from craning up towards the sky she let her gaze drop down below, falling on a certain yellow Camaro that was the base of her inner turmoil.  
With a groan she brought her hands up to her temples, rubbing at the headache that was beginning to form. There were two reasons she had chosen to ride in Mudflap: first, incase they had to split up she didn't want to slow the group down; second, she needed time to think. The latter of the two reasons was quickly foiled when not only Leo joined her, but Wheelie as well. She regretted her decision almost instantly, especially when the pickup lines began. Thankfully Leo was distracted when first Mudflap, then Wheelie began picking on the boy. While she was glad that his attention was now off her, her gratefulness turned into annoyance as the three men spent the entirety of the car ride throwing insults at each other.  
She was so confused, and the cocktail of emotions sat heavy in her chest. Her whole life she had been told that her great grandfather was a crazy old man, who left his family in search of fictional alien robots. Now here she sat, befriending said alien robots while on a quest to save the world. Her stomach twisted uncomfortably; what would her father say?  
Her father had never been shy about voicing his contempt for her great Grandfather's quest. If he were here now it wouldn't matter that they were real and that the old man wasn't crazy, the damage had been done. Were her father still alive she doubted she could look him in the eye knowing that she disobeyed one of his only wishes, that she not follow after the Witwickey curse. Her gaze traveled back to the Camaro below.

It wasn't just thoughts of her father that plagued her. More than that she couldn't sort through the mess of emotions that centered around the yellow mech. Robots were machines, wires and hardware that made up inanimate objects. They didn't feel, didn't hurt or cry, didn't laugh. They couldn't feel the soft breeze that was currently brushing past Bia's exposed mid-drift, sending a slight chill through her body. Even as those thoughts ran through her mind she found herself countering them. Bumblebee was full of life and emotion. He was compassionate and caring, courageous and kind. Even Megatron overflowed with raw emotion, anger and rage being the predominant ones she could pick out. Such opposite ends of the spectrum, it didn't help her make any sense of the situation. Were they only programmed to feel one way or another? Her frown deepened, that couldn't be right either. She had seen Bumblebee's pain after the loss of Optimus first hand, had seen the hurt after she had turned her frustration onto him.  
Everything she thought she knew was slipping through her fingers. It was as if she were trying to hold onto the sand that made up this very desert, but no matter how hard she tried it just continued to escape through the cracks. Clenching her fists she slammed them down into the boards she sat on. A scream bubbled up in the back of her throat, and she was half tempted to let it spill past her lips. Were she to give in her companions would rush to her side, which wasn't something she necessarily wanted, so she swallowed the scream back down.

Instead she pulled her knees to her chest, doing her best to ignore the stab of pain that accompanied the motion. Burrowing her face into her knees she muffled the soft cry's that escaped. She found herself crying for her mother, cursing her mother; how could she leave her when she needed her the most?  
Footsteps echoed through the still night and she quickly sniffed, wiping a hand across her face to hide the tracks of tears that were carving their way down her cheeks. Her efforts were unnecessary though, as Sam sped past her not even throwing a single glance in her direction as he babbled to himself angrily. Mikaela trailed closely behind him, mirroring his frustration and throwing an insult at him about his inability to express his feelings. The two disappeared around the corner but she could still hear their argument, although it turned into a very one sided arguments as Sam began to ramble to himself. He seemed to have figured out a missing piece of the puzzle as he called out for Simmons, startling the older man awake with a shout. She sat there, unsure of whether or not to follow after the the group but quickly decided against it.  
Sinking back into her self she let her chin fall onto the perch her knees created. She could barely keep up with each new advancement, so her input wouldn't be needed. If anything, someone would have to excuse themselves from the discussion just to explain what was happening to her. It was better if she just stayed out of the way.  
Her eyes locked back onto the yellow Camaro below. She stared at him for a few moments before slowly rising to her feet. She decided against pulling the tall brown boots back on, the bending motion it would require was too hard on her midsection. She carefully made her way down the structure, avoiding the group that had gathered on the other side of the building. Her bare feet sunk into the still warm sand, and she paused wiggling her toes in the ground beneath her.  
She began a slow gait towards the vehicle, nervous energy twisting tight knots in her stomach. With every step she took she felt her insides give a painful twist and she wasn't sure if it was due to her injuries or nerves. Her hands wrung themselves together and she paused to take a breath before continuing on, coming to stand just in front of the car.  
"Bee, are you awake?" Did giant alien robots even sleep? She paused, waiting to hear a response, but none came. She tried again, this time her voice rose above the whisper it was before. "Bumblebee, are you awake?" Still no response, sighing Bia plopped onto the ground leaning back against his grill. She let her head loll back, once again bringing her gaze back up to the starry night sky.  
"I'm not really sure what I'm supposed to do," she began softly. At first she wasn't sure what her intentions were when she decided to come see the yellow bot, but before she knew it the words were tumbling out. "I don't belong here, I know you said I would have my chance to prove myself and everything, but I'm not sure I even want the chance anymore." She switched her gaze from the sky to the sand where her fingers had buried themselves, enjoying bits of warmth that remained from the suns earlier rays.  
"You know my dad always said great grandfather was crazy, and I believed him. Why wouldn't I? Who believes in giant alien robots?" she snorted aloud at the irony. "Now look where I am, talking to said alien robot and pretending to help save the world!" shaking her head she sighed, sinking heavily against the front end that supported her. "I'm in the middle of Egypt with my ADD cousin, his way too hot girlfriend, a crazy ex-government official, and a hormonal frat boy wannabe! Oh and I forgot to mention three giant alien robots!" The familiar warmth of tears had Bia palming at her eyes to try and staunch the flow. "My parent's died, I didn't sign up for this! They died and I was forced out here! I'm not strong or brave, I dont have super strength or crazy book smarts. I'm afraid of the dark for Christ's sake! How am I supposed to save the world when I couldn't even help my parent's?"  
She was so hysterical that she didn't notice the change in the Camaro behind her until she fell back with a yelp as her back rest disappeared. The tell-tale scraping of metal on metal signaled Bumblebee's transformation, and soon enough he stood over Bia, who was now sprawled out on her back in the sand. Her eyes were red and tears still ran freely down her cheeks as she stared up at him. He had been disturbed from his recharge cycle when his sensors alerted him to the fact that there was an organic life form on his hood. Sure enough when his optics came online he found Bia leaning against his hood as she cried. He had sat silent at first, unsure if he should in fact try and console the girl or just let her get her thoughts out. Once she started grieving for her lost parents he could no longer sit idly by, the loss of his own father figure still a fresh wound.  
Bia could have sworn she saw the robot let out a sigh, as he knelt don beside her. Bumblebee looked down at the girl with pity, she was right, she was forced into this war. Her parents were taken from her because of their war, and he hadn't even had the courage to tell her yet. He himself didn't have a choice, he had been one of the final sparklings before war tore Cybertron to pieces. He never wanted to fight, but quickly found that to protect the ones he care about he had to fight. So he fought, for Optimus, Iron Hide, Jazz, Ratchet, and all his fellow Autobots. He fought for the humans like Sam who couldn't defend themselves against the threat that they had brought down upon them. He fought for what he believed in, he fought for peace and for Cybertron.  
That's not to say he became a solider overnight, it took decades for Bumblebee to become the scout he was today. He couldn't expect anything different from Bia, especially when she was facing enemies ten times her size and strength.  
" **So stand in the rain, stand your ground, stand up when it's all crashing down. You stand though the pain; you won't drown, and one day what's lost can be found. You stand in the rain.** " Bumblebee played the music softly through his speakers, doing his best to console the girl beneath him, while gently propping her back into a sitting position. He kept his hand behind her, allowing her to use him for support.  
Her silence unnerved him, the only sound she made was a constant sniffle. He worried for her health, and that her little spill might have exacerbated her injured rib cage. He scanned her vitals, and while his scanners were nowhere as advanced as Ratchets they were enough to assure him that her life was not being threatened at this exact moment. Satisfied with his findings he focused back on consoling the upset girl.  
" **Hush, hush, you walk on by, you don't say a word. Talk to me baby, talk to me baby. What haven't I heard?"** He tried to gently coax the girl before him into talking, and it worked. Her eyes were still leaking and his spark ached when she turned them onto him.  
"I don't know what to do," she blubbered. "My parents died, they're gone, and I'm running around the world with the very robots my father cursed my whole life!" He could barely understand her through the sobs. "What would he think? I mean it's already hard enough for me to understand this without hearing his voice in the back of my mind! I can hear him, screaming in my ear that it was crazy, all the robot talk, and that he would die before he let his crazy grandfather ruin his family! I'm betraying him, he's not dead for more than a month and I'm befriending said alien robots! What would he think?" Bumblebee didn't know what to say to that, what could he say? Even if he could use his vocal processors with ease instead of scouring the earth's radio he didn't have the faintest clue where to start.  
So he sat with her and let her cry, using his index finger to rub her back in what he hoped was a soothing gesture. He didn't know that humans could leak fluids for such long periods of time, and when her crying finally stopped it was because she had cried herself to sleep.  
Bee sighed, relieved that the leaking had finally stopped. Sam had never been this emotional, even in the weeks following Mission city when nightmares of a different outcome had plagued his sleep. How did guardian turn psychologist?


	12. Chapter 12

**I'm alive! Big shoutout to all the new followers and favorites, much love to all the old as well.  
I own nothing other than my giant list of excuses for why I haven't updated.**

" _Aunt Judy! Sam's drownding the ants, make him stop!" Three year old Bianca cried, her toddle tongue tripping over the long word, before launching herself onto her Aunt's skirt. Four year old Sam followed his younger cousin into the kitchen, super soaker in hand.  
"She's lieing!" He cried, even though he knew it was a lost cause based on the way his mother had placed her hands on her hips, and the reprimanding glare that was centered on him.  
"Samuel Witwickey, leave those poor ant's alone!" She chastised and Sam pouted.  
"But Mom," he dragged out the last 'm' but it did no good.  
"No buts," Judy crossed her arms and Sam knew the conversation was over.  
"Thanks a lot you cry baby!" He stuck his tongue out, stomping his foot. Bianca stuck her tongue out in return, holding tighter to her Aunt's skirt.  
"My mommy say's there is nothing wrong with crying! My mom say's it can make you feel better!" _

_Alligator tears were cascading down Bianca's cheeks as she held her skinned knee to her chest. Sam had thought it would be a good idea to teach her how to ride his big kid bike. However she had barely made it two feet before the bike wobbled beneath her. Without her training wheels to help her regain her balance she toppled onto the concrete. After he moved the bike off the girl he bent back down to inspect her injured knee, rolling his eyes at the sight. There was a small tear in her tights, where a single bead of blood could be seen, but all in all it was just a scratch.  
"Bia it's ok, it's just a scratch." The younger girl couldn't be swayed though, she howled even louder.  
"It h-hurts!" She cried, rocking back and forth. Standing up Sam ran to the house, making a bee line for the medicine cabinet. The band-aids sat on the lowest shelf, the only one he could reach therefore the only one which held items he was allowed to use. Grabbing the box off the shelf he spun on his heel, hustling back towards his injured cousin.  
Brushing the small bits of gravel from her injured knee, he tore the girls already ruined tights to get better access to her scrape. Pulling a band-aid from the box he carefully placed it over the single bead of blood.  
This simple action had profound effects, already Bia's cries had tapered off to a whimper and her tears had slowed to a stop.  
"There, all better. No more crying." Bianca sniffled, using her pink sleeve to wipe the tears from her face.  
"Mommy always kisses it better," she whined and Sam rolled his eyes.  
"I'm not kissing your knee," he argued, rocking back on his heels while crossing his arms. Tears began to well up in Bia's eyes and her lower lip started to tremble once more. So, swallowing his pride Sam quickly leaned in and pecked the bandaged knee, pulling back with a scowl. "There, happy?" The younger girl beamed up at him, throwing her arms around his neck in a hug.  
"Thank you Sammy!"_

Sam couldn't help the small smile that tugged on his lips as he stared down at the duo beneath him. After he had roused Simmons and Leo to explain his epiphany he had gone to grab Bia, only to find her missing from her make shift cot. He quickly located her however, upon hearing her sniffles in the silence of the night. Relief flooded him as he watched her cry next to Bumblebee. Ever since she was little Bianca carried her heart on her sleeve, crying when she felt like it. Sam smiled fondly at the memories. Sure she had gotten taller, hair longer and she herself had gotten older, but the little girl who forced him to kiss her owies with crocodile tears still resided in that grown up body.  
He watched his best friend console his cousin and was glad. Sam never had much patience when it came to coddling Bia, but just like Bumblebee had been there for Sam he was now there for her. She needed him, like Sam once did. He lowered himself into a sitting position, letting his feet hang off the side of the building. Soft foot steps padded down the wooden walkways behind him, and shortly after Mikaela joined him with a sigh.  
"Should we go see if she's OK?" She asked, but Sam shook his head.  
"Nah, Bee's got it." She raised a brow, questioning his judgment but trusted him to know what was best for his cousin. They sat in silence, watching the odd duo below and catching bits and pieces of Bianca's turmoil whenever her voice rose.  
"You two are so much alike," Mikaela's statement breaking the silence between them. Sam turned to look at his girlfriend, confused. "You both carry the weight of the world on your shoulders as if there is no one else who can help bear the load." She elaborated and Sam gave her a small smile. "At least Bia can express her feelings though." That final statement wiped the smile off his face.  
"You won't say it either; I don't see how that makes me the bad guy!" Sam shot back.  
"Oh come on Sam!" Thus the two fell back into their argument over those three little words. They sat there, going back and forth until Simmons came looking for them wondering when they were planning on heading out. Sam was happy for the interruption and jumped up, leaving Mikaela to roll her eyes in turn. He looked back over his shoulder, and pursed his lips.  
"We leave at first light, everyone needs a little rest." He concluded, peering down at the girl who was leaning against his best friend.

True to his word at first light he made his way towards Bumblebee, who glanced at Sam with a grateful expression. His hand had cramped long ago, but he was afraid to move it in fear of waking the girl who lay against it. Sam came to a stop next to his friend and placed a gentle hand on his arm, smiling up at him.  
"Hey Bud, how's she doing?" he asked softly, glancing at the sleeping girl. Bumblebee whirred in response, using his free hand to mimic a see-saw motion. Sam nodded, understanding what he was saying. "I really owe you one for this Bee. After her parents death it was hard enough for her,and now all this." Sam shrugged, running a hand through his hair.  
Bumblebee frowned, debating internally for a moment before sighing.  
"Sam," he whirred and said boy turned to face him with a raised brow. "Her parents death, was no accident"Bumblebee confessed, foregoing the use of the radio stations. "I have analyzed all the accident reports, I believe that the car that ran them off the road was Barricade." Sam took a step back, staring up at his friend with wide eyes.  
"What do you mean?" He asked, unable to wrap his head around what his friend was saying. "They said it was a hit and run."  
"The damage on their vehicle would make it impossible for the oncoming vehicle to drive away, I have ran the pictures and reports through my scanners several times, there is no mistake, the vehicle was not that of a human." Sam began to pace, bringing his hands to the back of his head and he tried to process what was being told to him.  
"It was no accident," he repeated aloud, letting his eyes wander to he still slumbering Bianca.  
" **So much suffering...We have caused** " as the blame seeped into his processors Sam whirled on his friend.  
"You can't blame yourself for this Bee, this isn't your fault." placing a hand on his arm once again Sam did his best to console the Bot. "What happened to her, it's the Decepticons fault, and theirs alone."  
Bumblebee tried to let Sam's words take away his guilt, but it did little to ease what he felt. Their war had caused so much strife in the lives of the humans, and most of them had no idea they even existed. Sam patted the bot a couple times, doing his best to give him a reassuring smile.  
" **I'd travel time and confess to her, but I'm afraid she'd shoot the messenger."** Bumblebee admitted and Sam frowned looking between the girl and the Bot. It felt wrong keeping it from her, but at the same time he wasn't sure if now was the time to drop this newest bomb on her.  
"We will tell her, together. But not now, I don't think it's the right time." Sam thought aloud and Bumblebee nodded, already feeling his spirits lift knowing that he wouldn't have to go it alone. Satisfied with their decision Same turned and gently laid a hand on Bia's shoulder and roused the girl.

"This is huge!" Bia breathed, craning her neck to look at the large structure before them. After Sam had woken her the group had once again piled into the vehicles in order to make their way to the Daggers Tip. The drive was mostly a quiet one with Sam, Bianca and Mikaela taking the lead in Bumblebee, followed by Simmons and Leo in Mudflap and Skids.  
Sam launched himself at the tall ledge, pulling himself up and over before lending a hand to everyone else in the group, pulling them up one at a time. When it was her turn Bia looked distastefully at Sam's extended hand, already feeling her broken ribs protest at the thought of being manhandled in such a way.  
Turning instead to Bumblebee she tapped his leg gently to get his attention.  
"Would you mind..." she motioned to the ledge and Bumblebee quickly caught onto her trail of thought, bending down and offering his open palm to her. Carefully she stepped onto the offered appendage, wrapping her arms around his thumb for stability. She couldn't help the small eruption of butterflies that accompanied the motion of leaving the ground, old habits died hard. Even though she knew he wouldn't drop her, Bianca was still thankful that the trip to the top of the ledge was a short one. She gave him a quick thanks as she climbed off his hand, Bee chirping good naturedly.  
"So where is this thing?" she asked, looking around at the space before her. Four bare walls were all she could see, no great artifact and no semblance of alien life, other than that of the Autobots beside them. Leo stepped up beside her, arms crossed.  
"Hey Bro, did it ever occur to you that, I dunno archaeologists already got here and took anything worth taking?" He questioned in a voice that sent Bia's eyes rolling. This kid was annoying.  
"No, it's here. It's got to be here. It's here." Sam chanted, though it seemed to mostly be for his own reassurance than anyone else. He began to run his hands over the walls, looking for some unseen clue that would lead them to their treasure.  
"Why, because we are trusting Grandpa Blackbeard who didn't even know what planet he was on?There is nothing here!" It was at that point that Simmons decided to step in; spewing useless monologues about rainbows and leprechauns stealing your gold all he succeeded in doing was escalate the situation.  
"Alright boys, let's just cool it." Bia tried, stepping between the two when the tension go too great. She let out an indigent cry when the pair began to slap at each other over her.  
"Hey!" She yelled, trying her best to push them apart. A frustrated scream escaped her lips when a stray slap caught her nose. Steeling her determination she turned, choosing the smaller of the two men as her target. Placing her hands squarely on Leo's chest she shoved the boy as hard as she could, wincing at the spasm of pain that rocketed through her side as she sent the boy tumbling.  
However she was glad she made the call she did, when seconds later a set of brawling bots rolled through where Leo once stood. She scrambled away from Mudflap and Skids as they 'yo mama' taunts back and forth, all the while throwing each other this way and that.  
"Bee!" Sam called out as he ducked, narrowly avoiding being crushed by Skids flying form. Bumblebee snatched up the two brawling bots, smashing the pain together before tossing them out into the sand beyond the ruins, mimicking a scolding motion. Bia huffed, blowing a stray hair out of her face as crossed her arms, hip popped.  
"Boys," she scowled. Bumblebee copied her motion, shaking his head and letting out a sound that sounded like 'boys' causing her to crack a grin up at him. Before the two could enjoy their joke any further Sam called out for Bumblebee once again.  
The two hurried over next the Sam and Mikaela, who were peering into a large hole that had been created by the brawling brothers.  
"Hey Bee, think you can make this any bigger?" Bia asked over her shoulder, still trying to peer into the gap between the stone. Sam answered for him when he yanked Bia away from the wall, just before a plasma blast shattered the stone where she once stood. "A little warning would be nice," she complained waving the dust and debris away from her face. Bee peered shyly out from beneath his battle mask, chirping in apology. As the dust cleared it revealed a gap big enough for the three teens to enter.  
A small room sat inside the wall and Bia shuddered as she looked around, ancient metal faces peered back at her, long dead. As she continued to survey where they now stood she realized that the entire room was made up of metal bodies, and she took extra care where she stepped, feeling it disrespectful to walk on the faces of the ancient beings.  
The group came to rest before a small metal contraption. Thin pieces of metal twisted and turned around a small orb that glowed a soft blue, radiating energy that caused Bianca's hair to stand on end. She couldn't help leaning in to get a better look, though she dare not touch it.  
"Is that it?" She asked, her eyes never once leaving the object that sat upon a pedestal of ancient bodies. Sam didn't answer, instead reaching out with trembling hands to take hold of the matrix. Their success was short lived however, as within moments of being within his grasp the metal eroded and crumbled into dust, slipping through his fingers and into a pile on the floor leaving Sam slack-jawed and wild-eyed. The room fell into silence as the three teens stared at the pile of dust that once was the Matrix of Leadership. After a moment Bianca was the one to break the tense air.  
"Well, that's not good." 

**Hope you enjoyed, fixed a ton of grammatical mistakes and hopefully just made it all over easier to read. Feedback is always appreciated. Hopefully I will be back up and updating on a more regular schedule once more, but with the Holidays looming as well as my recent engagement I cannot make any promises. So much to do so little time.  
I will finish revamping no matter what, it just may take a little extra time. **


	13. Chapter 13

**Two updates in one week, I'm on a roll!**

 **Thank you QuietRose-13 for the lovely review, I am so glad you are enjoying Bia's character. She has gone through so many revamps in the attempt to make sure she isn't two-dimensional and boring.  
Another shout out to Bee4ever for reviewing as well!**

"What are you and your sock full of dust going to do? Make the enemy sneeze to death?" Leo yelled, exasperated from his spot beside Bia, who was quickly growing annoyed as she was squished between the two men.  
"Would you just stop yelling! He's working on it, dios mio!" She snapped at the boy whose constant exclamations were often accompanied by flailing limbs, which in turn had knocked her overly sensitive side more than once. Leaning forward she peered up at their stoic leader. "You are working on it, right Sammy?" Her response was a swat on the nose and she rocked back in her seat.  
"Fine, see if I ever defend you again," she pouted crossing her arms. Catching his gaze in the rear view mirror she stuck out her tongue, a gesture which he returned. Both were startled from their childish antics at Mikaela's sudden outburst.  
"Sam!" Snapping his attention forward, he let out a startled 'whoa', as a jet nearly clipped Bumblebee, who took a sharp right to avoid the collision. Unprepared for the change in direction Bia was sent tumbling into the waiting arms of Leo.

"I knew you couldn't resist my Latin charms." Bia scoffed pushing off of the hormonal boy and doing her best to distance herself in the cramped space.  
"As if, viejo cochino!" She snapped back at him. The older boy let out an indignant noise and she grinned, mentally patting herself on the back.  
"Those are alien markings, that plane ain't friendly!" Simmons warned from his spot on Bia's right. Mikaela stuck her head out the passenger window, unable to get a clear view in the car due to the amount of people in the small interior.  
"He's coming back!" She warned re-entering the vehicle.  
Bullets rained down on the convoy, with every miss the sand around them erupted into geysers clouding the air. Bianca shrieked as they weaved through the onslaught, narrowly missing each attack. Craning her neck back she attempted to peer out the back window, but was only able to catch a glimpse of the tail end of the jet as it shot over head.  
Bullets came at them from the front this time as the aircraft circled back around, and Bia clenched her fists in an attempt to hold back another scream. Fear had bubbled up past her stomach and now sat in a hard lump in her throat. One wrong move by Bee and they were toast. A soft whimper broke her focus and she looked to her left to see a shaking Leo, lip quivering softly.  
"Leo?" she asked softly, then all hell broke loose in the speeding Camaro. The boy launched into hysterics, causing everyone else in the car in turn to scream back at him. Sam had turned around in his seat and was slapping at his roommate, who in turn screamed even louder. Mikaela stayed in her spot, instead clamping her hands over her ears to try and drown out the ruckus, while rolling her eyes and tossing out a scathing comment here and there about the lack of manliness surrounding her. A crackle passed by Bia's ear and with a snarl she wheeled on Simmons, was waving the taser they had acquired back at the museum threateningly. Another poorly aimed jab almost caught her in the shoulder and with a quick yank she snatched the small device, before turning and jamming it into the hysterical boy's neck.  
He seized for a moment, cries intensifying before going limp, head lolling against the window. Silence filled the vehicle as all eyes landed on the small girl who still held the crackling, popping device at the ready. Letting off the trigger the weapon quieted and she deposited it into her pants pocket with a raised brow.  
"What?" Another volley of shots rained down on them, bringing everyone's attention back to the matter at hand.  
Bumblebee swerved, his back end fishtailing in the loose sand as his tires fought for traction, sending the unconscious Leo face first into Bia's chest.  
"Bee!" She whined, trying to push the boy back into a sitting position to no avail. She fought against his weight as best she could but every time she would get him into an upright position he would slump over once more, giving him a face full of cleavage. The added weight sat heavily on her damaged ribs and she grit her teeth as the dull throb intensified to a sharp ache, the slit in her side throbbing painfully in time with her heart beat.  
As the effects of the taser began to wear off the boy started nuzzling into her chest causing her to cringe. "I call shot gun next time!" She spat bitterly, glaring up at Mikaela who sat comfortably in her seat.  
With her attention drawn elsewhere she didn't notice the jet until it came crashing down to earth directly in front of them, transforming as it did. She screamed as Bumblebee skated through it's legs, narrowly avoiding a missile that had been discharged during the Con's decent to earth.  
"The dust, hide in the dust!" Simmons commanded. The train of cars disappeared into the cloud of dust that had been kicked up by the barrage of attacks, before swerving to a stop once out of range of their assailant. Leo mumbled against Bianca's chest, and she felt his mouth curve into a grin.  
"Ugh, Bumblebee!" The bot engaged the seat belt, wrapping it firmly around Leo and yanking him off the girl who quickly slid out of the back behind Simmons. Leo protested and struggled against the cars grasp who squeezed him tighter, before slamming the now empty drivers seat back against the boy's knees causing him to yelp.  
" **Whoops,** " Bumblebee's radio played, though he didn't fool anyone. Bianca brought a hand up to her mouth to try and stifle the laugh that tugged at her lips as Leo struggled to slide out of the back. She gave Bumblebee's hood a gentle pat in thanks, before leaning against the car.  
"We've got to split up. Bumblebee you're the decoy, lead the Deceptions away," Sam commanded. "I'm going to get Optimus," he had turned to speak to Simmons who was happy to assign himself a role.  
"I'll help draw their fire with Hooey and Looey there," he motioned to Skids and Mudflap. "You need to get to those soldiers." a moment of silence fell over the group and Simmons shook his head with a sigh. "I hope that dust works kid."  
Sam nodded and turned to leave, holding his hand out to Bia to take, only for her to not reciprocate the action.  
"I'm going with Bee." She stated simply, causing Sam to stutter out a chorus of 'no's' while shaking his head frantically. Pushing off of the Camaro she planted her hands on her hips and her lip jutted out in a scowl. "Why not?"  
"Because it's not safe! No, you're coming with me where I can make sure you're OK!" She rolled her eyes at his response.  
"Sam, I can barely breathe. Yesterday I was spitting up blood and had to have a hole cut into my body!" she gestured to the haphazard bandages that were wrapped around her side. "Do you really think it's a good idea for me to run across the desert with you? You can't protect me if anything happens, and I'll just slow you down." She shook her head, crossing her arms in finality. "Nope, I am staying with Bee." Sam stomped towards Bumblebee who transformed and looked between the two Witwickeys staring up at him, each wanting a different answer.

"Tell her!" His charge commanded. "Tell her it's not safe and she can't go with you!" Bee looked to Bia who stared right back at him. She had changed since last night, she had made up her mind and her brown eyes held determination that wasn't present before. He couldn't deny her now, not when he was the one who encouraged the idea that she would get the chance to prove herself. Who was he to deny her after she had confided in him, looking to him for guidance. He groaned and looked to Sam.  
"But Sam.." he whined, those two words sent Sam into a tizzy and Bumblebee looked to Bia for help. She smiled broadly up at him, sending a warmth coursing through his circuits. Uncrossing her arms she stepped forward and put a gentle hand on Sam's shoulder. He spun around to face her, before she quickly wrapped her arms around his waist in as tight a hug as she could manage. He returned the embrace and she smiled into his chest. He used to be so small when they were little. It was once a sore spot that Bia poked at growing up whenever they were arguing. Now he towered over her, having to bend slightly to reciprocate the hug.  
"I know you're scared Sammy, I am too. But I have to do this. Everyone else has someone watching their back, except him. I won't leave him alone. He saved me, even after I ran from him. I have to repay him, you have to let me go." She whispered just loud enough for Sam to hear, but he didn't let go. In fact, her held on even tighter making her wince, yet she didn't complain. "Oh Sammy."  
Bumblebee's advanced processors had been able to pick up on Bia's whispers and he gently bent down to rest a finger on the boy's shoulder. Sam looked over to his best friend, conflict clear on the young man's face.  
"Sam, **I will protect her...No matter the cost.** " Sam stared back at him still torn, and Bumblebee sighed. " **For her...I would lay down my life**." Bia's head shot up at that, and she stared at him, mouth open and eyes bewildered. Bee returned his full gaze to Sam. "I promise," and he did. He promised to himself right then and there that he wouldn't let any harm come to his newest charge as long as his spark still burned. Sam sighed and looked to Bia who had regained her composure and looked up at him from her place around his waist.  
"Don't do anything stupid, OK?" She smiled up at him and gave his torso another quick squeeze. "Speak for yourself Sammy," he returned her smile and hugged her back.  
"I don't mean to ruin the moment." Simmons chimed in, "but I think our friend is coming back to say hello." They looked up to where Simmons finger pointed, and indeed Starscream's figure was discernible in the clouds of dust. The two cousins split apart and Sam watched as Bia made her way to Bee, smile on her face.  
"Bee!" Sam called out and Bia froze mid-step, waiting for him to take back his blessing. He surprised her when he instead cracked a grin, "have her home before eleven, and no funny business!" The girl couldn't help the laugh that sprang from her lips. Mirroring Sam's grin she turned back to Bumblebee who gave a salute and transformed back into his alternate mode, popping his passenger door open for her.  
"Excuse me! I'm driving." Bee let out a whistle and he quickly opened the driver's door allowing Bianca to easily slide in.  
Clicking on her seat belt Bumblebee revved his engine, and Bianca let out a 'whoop' of excitement as her foot slammed down on the gas. His tires spun for a moment, kicking up a cloud of dust before they found traction. Sam watched the duo rocket away from him, disappearing into the brownish fog of desert that had settled around them.  
He clutched the sock that held the remains of the Matrix even tighter, praying for his best friend and baby cousin's safety. The weight of the situation they found themselves in was crashing down on him, causing him to freeze up. Mikaela stepped in, tugging on his arm and bringing him back to earth. With a nod the two turned in the opposite direction, heading towards their last hope of salvation.

 **Hope you enjoyed, reviews are love as always.**


	14. Chapter 14

**Yikees Batman look! Bellaxmonster actually posted an update!**

 **I am a terrible person, adulting is hard. I promised I would finish this revision and that promise holds true! Come hell or annoying ass roommates this fic will be finished! Thank you for all the new reviews, favorites, and follows! They make my little body fill with joy every time I see them pop up in my email. You guys are the best!**

As usual I own nothing, other than the nifty DIY laptop cooling desk I made last night!

Bia's joy ride was short lived, as she quickly had to give the wheel over to Bumblebee who was the only one with a hope of outmaneuvering Starscream's barrage. The Camaro weaved in and out of the onslaught with ease, his handling greatly increased now that he only had one human inside him instead of five.  
"I know you're just trying to set the mood and all, but would you mind turning it down?" Bianca yelled over the speakers which currently blared rock music. He obliged and turned the radio down to a mere whisper. "Thank you," she sighed taking her hands off her ears.  
Now that she wasn't deafened by AC/DC's 'Highway to hell' she realized that no shots had been fired at them for some time. Rolling down the window Bianca poked her head out and surveyed the skies above. A few plush clouds dotted the otherwise empty blue ceiling.  
"Hey Bee I think we lost hi-AH!" Bia shrieked as a bullet ricocheted off the side mirror, slicing across her cheek. She fell back into the interior watching as the jet leveled out from it's dive before shooting back into the sky, darting behind the scattered clouds and disappearing from view once more.

"Bia, are you alright?" Bee asked frantically, not bothering to search through the earth's radio stations to communicate. She slowly lifted a hand to her cheek; warm blood met her fingertips. Pulling her hand back she stared down at the crimson stain.  
"I'm OK Bee it's just a scratch" she whispered, still recovering from the shock of the sudden attack. She peered up into the rear view mirror, seeing that it was in fact not 'just a scratch'. The bullet had sliced cleanly through her cheek, stretching from just below her right eye all the way to her jaw. Blood flowed freely from the wound, and she clamped her hand tightly over it to try staunch the flow. Her cheek pulled painfully with every word and dread filled her stomach as the realization that it may need stitches popped into her head. Had Starscream's shot been even half an inch higher she would have lost an eye, she swallowed the lump in her throat.  
"That's it. We've played decoy long enough, I am getting you out of here!" Bia made to protest but her protest turned into a scream, which was drowned out by the sound of metal crunching against metal. Bumblebee was sent careening through the air, tumbling uncontrollably from the force of Starscream's head on collision. If Bumblebee were a normal car Bia was sure that the impact would have turned him into a crumpled mess of tinfoil, with her inside.  
She wasn't even sure when she stopped screaming, or how she ended up laying on the hot sand instead of Bumblebee's comfortable interior. Her ears roared with white noise and black spots dotted her vision. She slowly became more aware of her surroundings bit by bit, and as the white noise gave way she instead heard a gurgling. The familiar searing pain of constricting lungs made her realize that the gurgling was her, trying to breath. Rolling onto her side she cried out through the mouth full of blood. Red spilled across beige as she sputtered and coughed, doing her best to expel the thick liquid from her mouth and lungs. White hot pain seared through her with every heave, her broken ribs screaming in protest at the movements.  
Spots continued to dance before her eyes, stars bursting into bright inferno's with every agonizing wheeze. Through the haze she searched for the familiar yellow and black of bumblebee's chassis only to realize he was no where to be found in the immediate vicinity. Her head spun and she groaned as a wave of pain crashed over her, sending her stomach reeling as it bottomed out. She heard him before she could see.  
A metallic scream cut through the darkness and she clawed her way back to consciousness, forcing her eyes into focus. Her head lolled back and forth, brown eyes fluttering about with haste. When she finally was about to locate Bumblebee her heart dropped. The small yellow bot was pinned beneath a sleek, snarling, silver mech with red eyes that flashed dangerously in the the sunlight.  
"Bee!" She cried out, or at least tried to. Her voice only made a strangled gargle in response and she heaved in another wet painful breath, trying once more to call out to no avail. Gritting her teeth she rolled over onto her stomach. A fresh wave of tears streamed down her cheeks at the effort and pain that accompanied the action. The salt from her tears bit unpleasantly at the fresh gash that adorned her face. Reaching out towards Bumblebee her arm shook before it went limp, the effort of even such a small motion felt monumental. Hot metal smarted her arm and the stimulus sent a jolt through her body, causing her eyes to zone in on what had caused the burn. Her sluggish brain took longer than normal to process what it was she was looking at, but process it she did. Heaving herself forward she didn't even make it to her hands and knees before collapsing once more into the hot sand. Another cry from Bee sent her lunging for the taser only 5 feet from her, but another crack of pain sent her crumbling face first into the sand.  
"Mierte!" She spat, a splatter of red flakes coloring the sand before her. Clenching her eyes she cried out once again, "Mierte!" Her inability to be of any use to her new friend filled her with self loathing and frustration. Angry tears created muddied tracks through the blood and dirt that smeared her face. It couldn't end like this, it wouldnt. Screaming out in combination of agony and blind rage she began clawing her way across the scorching desert sand.  
Her fingers grappled for leverage, legs kicking out wildly behind her as she tried to propel herself forward. Her bare skin burned at the temperature of the desert floor, but that pain was drowned out by the tearing sensation that she was sure was that of her lower half ripping apart, ligament by ligament.  
It felt like an eternity, but her fingers eventually closed around the base of the taser. Pulling it to her chest she wormed her way inch, by agonizing inch towards the brawling bots. As she closed the distance blue optics locked with foggy but determined brown eyes. A pitiful groan left his processors as Bumblebee tried to wave her away, frantic that Starscream would notice her, or squish her by accident. He wasn't sure which was worse, and for one horrifying moment he found himself hoping that the 'Con would just crush her so she wouldn't have to live through the torture that would surely befall her if he were to notice her instead.  
Banishing the negative thoughts from his processors he struggled with a renewed vigor, intent to keep the Decepticons attention on him, and him alone.  
"You have been a thorn in my master's side for too long Autobot scum!" Starscream spat, landing a harsh blow to the Autobots helm. "I'm going to enjoy snuffing out your worthless spark!" Another blow, the force of this one sending Bumblebee's optics offline for a brief moment. As his systems slowly came back online the first thing he noticed was a blood-spattered, wild eyed Bia. Bloody fingers skittered across his legs, which were pinned beneath his attacker, searching for hand holds. She sucked in wet, ragged breaths through flaring nostrils, taser clenched between her teeth as she pulled herself painfully into an upright position.

Once standing she used his leg to walk forward, grabbing the taser from her teeth she raised it high above her head. Electricity popped and crackled and with a battle cry she drove the device into a small gap in the armor that plated the back of Starscreams heel. A gap so small that only a human's small appendages could access it. The charge of electricity shot deep into his sensitive circuitry, and while the taser didn't have enough bite behind it to cause serious damage, it definitely caught the Con's attention. Starscream whirled around to face the human, who fell back at his sudden movement. The impact of the fall sent her eyes rolling into her skull, back arching in pain. Blinking rapidly she fought to regain her vision, only to find herself staring up in horror at the being that loomed over her.  
"Why you insolent flesh bag!" He roared, "I'll tear you to shreds!" As he moved to snatch up her helpless form Bee sprang into action. The shift in the Con's attention gave Bumblebee the window he needed to change the tide. Dropping his battle mask into place he sprang forward, knocking the Decepticon head over heels. The yellow bot bellowed as he leapt onto the silver robot, unloading his canons into his foe. Starscream cried out, thrusting his jets in an attempt to break free. Bumblebee grappled at the jets transforming wings, tearing at whatever surface he could find purchase. With one last powerful thrust Starscream broke free of Bumblebee's onslaught, shooting off to a safe distance before circling back with a snarl.

"I'll get you Autobot scum, and your little flesh bag too!". With that the jet shot off into the distance, where faint gunfire crackled beyond the dunes. Once he was sure that the threat was gone Bumblebee raised his battle mask, turning back to check on his human's crumpled form. He didn't need Ratchets advanced medical scanners to know that this was not good. Even through the grime that coated her sun burnt skin he could see the color draining from her face. He eyes wandered aimlessly, eyelids fluttering rapidly. Her lips were wet with red, red that flew from her mouth with every moist, wheeze.

He failed Sam, his spark sank further with every passing second that his charge was in pain. He reached forward before gently scooping up the broken girl, afraid that at any moment she might shatter. Her eyes grounded themselves in the blue of his optics and she did her best to give him a small smile. The action looked more like a grimace, and her lacerated cheek gaped at the motion.

"Bia," he whispered before pausing. What was it he wanted to say to her? He wanted to yell and scream at her, make her understand how stupid her actions were. He wanted to cry for her as each breath she took rattled painfully on his processors. He wanted to hold her and never let her go, because only then could he be sure to keep her safe. None of the emotions however made sense to him, so instead he just stared.

"Are you O.K.?" he barked a laugh at her question. These Witwickeys really had no concern for their own well being.  
"You shouldn't act so rashly," he scolded, channeling all the times he had been scolded by his elder comrades. "I am equipped for battle, YOU on the other hand could have been squished or worse, noticed by Starscream!" Bianca's small smile tuned into a frown, pulling the gash into a thin line as her lips turned down.  
"How is getting squished better than being noticed. He must have hit you harder than I thought." Bumblebee shook his head wildly. Anger, concern, fear, adrenaline, and many other emotions he couldn't place crashed in waves over him, sending his spark reeling in his chassis.

"If you had been squished then at least you death would have been instant! If he had caught you he would have..." he trailed off, cringing at the reel of images that ran through his mind, all of them ending with Bianca screaming out for him in vain.  
"But if I didn't do something YOU would be the dead one, and besides he didn't catch me so what's with the third degree?" She moved to cross her arms, but the motion sent spasms of pain through her mid section, so instead she settled on her patented Witwickey scowl. "You are so ungrateful, next time a thank you would suffice!" She spat, angry tears welling up to replace those from pain. His patronizing tone made her feel like a child, and just like a child she clung to her stubbornness.  
Sucking in a painful breath she choked back the tears, refusing to let him see her cry once more. With a huff she did her best to turn away from the bot's gaze, swearing with every painful stitch that accompanied the motion. Try as she might she couldn't hold back a small sniffle. Bumblebee sighed, all his anger leaving him in a rush instantly replaced by concern. "Bia I'm sorry. I was worried," he apologized, regretting his harsh words. It was hard for him to remember some days that she wasn't born into the same world he was, a world where once stupid call could get you killed, or worse someone else. The image of Optimus ran across his processors and he forced the image back into the recesses of his memory, unable to handle that loss so soon after nearly experiencing another. The girl refused to look at him so he gently used a finger to lift her chin, bringing his hand closer to his face so she couldn't escape his gaze. Watery, humiliated eyes stared up at him. "You were right, I needed help. Thank you."  
She blinked a couple times, chewing over his apology before giving one final sniff. She dragged her arm across her face, a motion of habit that normally would wipe away the tears. This time however it only served in smearing the mess of dirt and gore across her sunken cheeks like primitive war paint.  
"You're welcome," she quipped. He smiled at the girl, and she returned the gesture before her eyes widened in realization. "Hey, you're talking! Like really talking without pain!" She accused, "you were hamming it up!" He chuckled, imagining that if her were human he would be blushing.  
"Old habits die hard I guess. I spent years communication through the earth's radio. It's more natural, and I prefer it." she raised a brow.  
"How did you get your voice back? I thought you said you lost it in battle."  
"The Allspark," was his simple answer. She pretended to understand. Their conversation was interrupted as a new wave of gunfire echoed across the vast emptiness of the dessert. The two looked off into the distance to see the distant battle that was taking place.  
"We should go." Bianca muttered. Bumblebee returned his gaze to the girl who still looked across the land. While she was distracted he did a quick scan. He could tell she was struggling to even stay upright, as the adrenaline wore off her eyes became heavy, and her breathing more labored. The gash she received from Starscream still oozed and every time she spoke it reopened the wound. Blood and saliva coated her chin, leading down her neck. He could see dark red splotches creeping out from under the makeshift bandages that were tied around her midsection, an indication of internal bleeding. He wanted to protest and take her far away from the battle and somewhere where she could receive the medical attention she so desperately needed. Her eyes peeled away from the distant fire fight and pinned him down.  
"Our friends need us." He found himself nodding with her before he even realized what she said. She was right, the Decepticons had the upper hand and their allies needed all the help they could get. He could only hope that their decision to return to the battle field didn't cost him another friend.  
Carefully he set he on the ground before transforming into his alt mode, doing his best to come up right along side her. The action of pulling herself into Bumblebee's driver seat felt like running a marathon, and by the time she was safely buckled up in his interior her head was swimming from exhaustion. She fought the haze, trying to focus on anything other than the agonizing pain that came with every breath. In an attempt to ground herself her fingers began tracing the stitching of Bumblebee's seat. Before taking off though Bumblebee had one last thing to say.  
"One last thing," Bia perked up at his words. "If you ever try a stunt like that again I will lock these doors and never let you out, are we clear?" He asked and she couldn't help the painful laugh that bubbled up at his overbearing nature.  
"Yes Bee."

 **Fun fact, the original version of this fic was 33 thousand and some odd words. With this installment we have hit 34 thousand and we're not done yet!**


	15. Chapter 15

**So I meant to have this chapter out a couple day's ago, but we got a new wireless router so my fiance and I can actually play League together. If any of you play league out there you know that the struggle is real!**

 **Anyways, I own nothing other than my new shiny router that has stolen what little bit of free time I had left.**

"Bumblebee you need to go faster!" Bia urged, leaning forward in her seat as though the motion would help speed up the camaro. His tire's tore into the loose sand, kicking up heavy clouds of dust behind them. As they crested a large dune the Autobot hit his breaks, bringing them to a stop just beyond a series of delapidated buildings. In the distance the pair could make out several looming forms of Decepticons, weaving through the rubble as if searching for something, or someone.  
"We have to get to Sam and his sock full of shard before they do!" Her eyes searched the terrain before them and Bumblebee popped open the door. Bianca took the hint and did her best to slide out of his cabin, wincing and hissing as every movement sent shockwaves of pain through her body.

Once she was clear the familiar sound of metal sliding against metal signaled Bumblebee's transformation. He offered a hand to her, which she climbed on without a second thought. Depositing her gently on his shoulder she clung to his neck, and he brought a finger to his mouth making a shushing motion. She nodded in understanding and the two began to creep forward, using the old buildings as cover as they searched for their friends.  
Screams echoed through the ruins and Bumblebee sprang forward towards the sound, doing his best to pair speed with stealth. They came to stop behind a large pillar, peering around it Bianca's jaw dropped. Where there should have only been two humans cowering, four sat. The familiar forms of her Aunt and Uncle huddled close to Sam and Mikaela.  
"Bumblebee we have to help them!" She urged quietly, though she didn't have to tell him twice. He offered her his hand once again, and she slid first onto the offered appendage, and then to the ground. Once she was clear of his hand he held it out in a 'stay' motion, before pulling down his battle mask. He held her gaze until she nodded, agreeing to his command.  
Turning back to the problem at hand he leaned around the pillar, giving a soft whistle to catch Sam's attention.  
Bia crawled to the base of the pillar also poking her head out to watch the next scenes unfold. Sam's gaze locked with Bumblebee's and he nodded, relief washing over his face for a moment before he spun around to face their captor. Playing to his strengths Sam began to make a spectacle, keeping the Con's attention solely focused on him.  
Using the distraction to his advantage Bumblebee sprang into action, tackling the surprised and unprepared Decepticon. The humans scattered to avoid being crushed as the two metal mech's went tumbling in a mess of flying fists and kicks. Bianca watched in fascination as Bumblebee quickly gained the upper hand, using his size and speed to his advantage. The Decepticon screamed out, and a solid 'snap' caused Bianca to wince as Bumblebee continued his onslaught with no signs of stopping.

That was until a familiar scream cut through his processors. Wild blue eyes swiveled around searching for the source of the noise. Bianca was pinned under Ravage, who snarled and snapped at her face. Moving on instinct, the Autobot stepped towards his newest human charge, forgetting his previous fight. The Decepticon beneath him wasn't as defeated as Bumblebee thought, and as the yellow bot took another step forward the Con sprung into action; swiping at Bumblebee's leg the Autobot had to turn back to his previous battle.

Bia grit her teeth, doing her best to hold off the gnashing mechanical jaws that fought for her face. As metal limbs clawed at her midsection stars began to burst behind her eyes, pain blooming like sunflowers, reaching all the way from the tips of her toes to the top of her head.  
"Bia!" Tearing her eyes away from the metal jaws that continued to inch towards her face she found her Aunt fighting her Uncle's grasp. "Ron, let me go!" she snapped, lunging for her niece. As her foot kicked out she sent a large chunk of brink tumbling towards the downed girl.  
Taking a deep breath and securing her hold on the creature with one hand Bianca reached out with the other. Her fingers closed around the rubble and with a battle cry she smashed it into her attackers head. Recoiling with a scream of pain the feline Decepticon paused it's attacks, allowing Bianca to roll out from beneath it. Lifting her weapon up for a second strike she locked onto her foe, who snarled before leaping away.  
"Bumblebee, watch out!" She called, waning her friend of the sneaky Con's surprise attack. Ravage launched himself onto Bumblebee's back at the same time Judy launched herself onto Bia, thoroughly knocking what little strength the girl had left out of her. As Bianca sagged in her Aunt's hold she watched Bumblebee snatch the cat-like Con from his back, stripping it's spine from it's body. Once the smaller of the two Con's was taken care of Bumblebee turned back to the struggling Decepticon beneath him and tore the arms off the screaming Con's body.  
As the Con stilled beneath him Bumblebee stepped away from the quiet heap of metal, looking over his handy work. Bianca found herself marveling at the complexity that was Bumblebee. He had a such a sweet and caring nature to him, yet he could turn into a skilled soldier with a deadly skill set at the drop of a hat. Now that the current threat had been dismantled the small rag-tag group reconvened.  
"Oh my God Bia, What happened to you? My poor girl!" Judy Cooed, running her hands softly over Bianca's bloodied face. Bianca winced as the older woman's fingers glaced off the laceration on her cheek.  
"Aunt Judy I'm OK, really." She tried to reassure her aunt, who only continued to look more and more horrified as she took in the extent of the her niece's injuries.  
"Talk later, run now!" Sam commanded. The thought of running sent a painful jolt through her body, but without much choice Bianca swallowed the protest that was bubbling in her throat and allowed her Aunt to pull her forward.

Her injuries slowed the entire group, every step sending a shock wave of agony through her system. It was all she could do to stay upright, allowing her Aunt to continue dragging her forward. As they made their way closer to heart of the battle their trek was slowed further, as they dodged brawling bots and gunfire. Splatters of blood stained sand followed them like a bread crumb trail from Bianca emptying her mouth of the metallic liquid.  
Judy surveyed the group through terrified eyes. Bianca was barely holding onto consciousness, her eyes unable to focus on any one thing. Sam on the other hand was hyper aware, eye's darting back and forth, taking in every little detail. Fear gripped Judy's heart, not for her own safety, but for the safety of her babies.  
Sam's hyper awareness extended to the group, and with one look at Bianca he knew they couldn't continue to go carry on as they were.  
"Bumblebee!" Sam called out, and the scout who had taken up the rear quickly joined the group. "I need you to take them somewhere safe, alright?" He asked, and Bee nodded, quickly zeroing in on Bia's shaking form. The Bot was amazed she had made it this far, it wasn't anything short of a miracle with the injuries she had sustained, and he was antsy to get her somewhere where she could receive proper medical attention.  
Sam turned to his father, "I need you to get in the care, and get to safety." Ron began to shake his head.  
"No, this is not up for discussion! We all go together, we're a family! We do things together!" Ron argued, gunfire sending his adrenaline on overtime. Bia sagged against Judy's side, and with Mikaela's help the two women were able to keep the younger girl from completely collapsing.  
"Dad look, look at Bia. She needs help, and I need you to take her somewhere safe. She need's you dad, Uncle Jim needs you. Take care of her!" Sam knew that throwing his brother's name in at the end may have been a low blow, but he was desperate for his father to see reason. Ron continued to shake his head, reaching for his son.  
"And I need you!" he argued

"You need to let me go dad, you have to let me go." Sam begged. With a quick look to Mikaela who nodded taking on Bianca's full weight Judy stepped forward, placing a gentle hand on her husband's shoulder.  
"Ron, you have to let him go. Let go." Her husband looked back and forth between Sam's determined face, and Bia's bruised and battered one. Finally his eyes rested on the resigned face of his wife and he snarled, releasing his grip on his son.  
"Fine, but you better come back, OK?" Sam sighed, glad to have won this argument. Ron stepped away and took Bianca from Mikaela who stepped up to Sam's side. The two watched his family pile into the camaro.  
"Go!" Sam commanded. Bumblebee didn't need to be told twice. His tires spun and bit into the sand, until they found traction, launching him forward.  
"Sam," Bia moaned from her position in the back, head propped up on Judy's lap as the woman cooed soft whispers to her. Bumblebee urged his engine faster, she needed help.  
"It's OK honey, he's going to OK. You're safe now." Judy whispered, unsure if the girl could hear her or not. The girl began to cough and choke as fluid pooled in her throat and her aunt panicked, helped her in a sitting position and giving her gentle pat's to help clear her lungs.  
"Oh God Ron, do you see this! She need's a hospital," Judy worried as red flakes colored Bumblebee's interior. The Bot skidded to a halt as they came upon allied forces, both Alien and human. They would have medics, Bumblebee reasoned and his friends needed his help.  
Flicking his doors open Ron and Judy slid out, before pulling Bianca out after them. Once the Witwickey's were clear he transformed. With one last glance in Bia's direction he turned to head back into the fray, firing into the enemy lines, who were gaining ground. Her Uncle left the two women to seek out a medic, but before he did he helped her get comfortable in a half sitting position, propped up against abandoned army gear.  
Bianca watched the battle through a mix of half consciousness. A roaring had slowly grown into a deafening volume that muted the noises of the battle around her as if someone had stuffed her ears full of cotton. Shapes swam in front of her vision, morphing in and out of recognizable forms to create a sort of abstract painting that was constantly reshaping itself. The longer she sat the more she became aware of the numbness that was creeping into her extremities, and she no longer bothered exerting what little energy she had left to spit out the mouthfuls of blood that pooled behind her lips, rather let it run in small turrets down her chin.  
Judy sat diligently by her Niece's side, tears running down her cheeks as she continuously wiped away the blood that dribbled down the girl's chin. She searched through the chaos for any sign of the medic that her husband was supposed to be searching for. Her eyes never strayed for long though, afraid that at any second the hazy eyed girl would completely slip away and rejoin her parents in the afterlife.

"Sam!" Judy's head snapped at the sound of her son's name being screamed. She moved on maternal instinct towards the noise, not entirely aware of her actions.  
"Sam!" The sound of her Aunt's scream broke Bianca from the coma like state she had slipped into. Sucking in a wet breath her eyes regained focus, doing their best to assign once unrecognizable shapes to more discernible forms.  
"Sam," she mumbled, following her Aunt's retreating form. There he lay, no more than fifty feet from where she sat. "Sam," she muttered again, this time louder. Fighting the inevitable blackness even harder she tried stand, only to find that she had no control of her legs. Looking down she tried again, only succeeding in sending small twitched through the extremities. Panic gripped her and she grit her teeth, focusing everything she had into moving the pale appendages. All she succeeded in doing was toppling herself over.  
She screamed her cousin's name into the hot sand, unable to right herself, unable to go to him, unable to do anything.  
She cried into the sand, no one noticing her fallen form as they all instead focused on the fallen body of the boy who was supposed to revive the late Autobot leader. Bianca moaned from her position face down, the sand beneath her quickly turning into a muddy concoction. Everyone was dying, this wasn't how it was supposed to be. First her parent's and now Sam. "Sammy," she cried again, wishing once again that it had been her.  
Gentle fingers scooped up her limp form, and Bumblebee cradled her broken form against his chest. She didn't protest the action, leaning into his chassis, happy for the contact even though her body spasmed in pain at the handling. He clicked sadly above her, and the two shared in each others pain. In such a short time span they had both lost parental and brother figures.  
"He can't be dead, he just can't be. Why does everyone keep dying?" Bianca moaned and Bumblebee sighed in agreement. He watched the scene through sad blue eyes, unable to do anything to help. As he was about to tear his optics away, unable to watch his fallen friend any long a twitch caught his attention. His entire form stiffened, and he subconciously leaned forward, unwilling to let the hope that bloomed in his spark free just yet. Bianca noticed the bots change in stance and looked up.  
"Bee?" She questioned, following his gaze. Her heart exploded then as she watched Sam shakily climb to his feet.  
" _He has risen from the dead hallelujiah!"_ A preacher sang over Bumblebee's speakers and Bianca couldn't help the grin that spread across her face, though it wasn't able to fully form due to the clotting that had begun to take place along the gun shot wound on her cheek.  
"He's alive," She breathed, settling back into Bumblebee's hand, the haze once more creeping into the corners of her vision, this time she doubted she would be able to fight it. She was tired, so very tired. "Sam." Her eyes fluttered, but she refused to take her gaze off of a now risen Optimus, who stood next to Sam. It was the last sight she saw before falling into the void of blackness that had been growing ever larger since she had first been taken.  
Bumblebee felt the girl go limp in his hand and his relief quickly turned to panic as he began to search for Ratchet. Sam was alive, as was Optimus, but now he had to make sure that Bia survived as well. He had made a promise, one that he intended to keep.

 **P.S. I totally sucked at proof reading this, so sorry for any errors** **.**


End file.
